These Streets
by TheViewFromTheAfternoon
Summary: Tim's got used to running these streets, to getting his own way in life - and that's just the way he likes it. Only not everyone lives by the same rules...and things don't always go to plan. Even for Tim.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: The Outsiders belongs to SE Hinton. This story starts a few months before the book.

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**THESE STREETS – CHAPTER ONE**

_March 1965. _

_Tuesday evening._

Nick turns the car onto a street lined with junk shops, bars and untidy, dilapidated businesses. It's a real dump, even for our side of the town.

"So you're sure you know where Myers will be?"

Slowing the car he nods as he parks, then gestures towards the buildings opposite.

"Yeah, I've got it on good authority he'll be in there this evening."

Getting out the car I head towards the small bar. It's nowhere special, makes Buck's seem high class, but this place never cared about checking ID either so we've been there more than a few times in the past—it's always been useful if you're looking for a broad for some no strings hook up. Or at least it was, 'cause it's been a while since I've been in there. Not sure why, but I tend to most of my drinking at Buck's lately, although the fact he's easily persuaded to let me run a tab doesn't hurt I guess.

This bar isn't in our territory, but I never figured it for a place where I'd find any member of the River Kings either, let alone their boss. I certainly don't recall coming across anyone connected to them in there in the past anyways. Only Nick's stopping me before I even get to the door.

"Nah, not in there."

"Where then?"

"Next door."

Turning abruptly, I glance up and realise I have never set foot in the neighbouring building, know nothing much about it. Like the rest the street it's run down, the paint is peeling from the brickwork and what with the small high windows it don't exactly look inviting, seems a bit of a dive. The faded sign above the door is just about still readable, says 'O'Connell's Boxing Club'.

Entering the door it takes a few seconds to get accustomed to the change in light, because inside it's as dark and gloomy as the outside suggests.

Only it appears that Nick's been here before and knows exactly where he's going 'cause while I'm stood there glancing around and trying to get my bearings, he's striding on ahead and sticking his head round the door of what must be an office and chatting to whoever's inside. I can't make out the reply, her voice ain't as loud as Nick's, but it doesn't surprise me all that much that it's a girl he's talking to. Guy knows women everywhere.

Just past the office there's a large hall holding the boxing ring and training equipment. All around me in the entrance the walls are lined with posters advertising old fights and faded photographs of boxers holding up belts and trophies. All looks like nothing's been changed in years. There's a couple of guys sparring in the ring and I recognise Francis—Frank—O'Connell, the owner of the place, who's leaning on the ropes shouting orders at them. He used to be a fighter himself although I guess he must be pushing fifty now, and he's pretty well known around the neighbourhood, at least by reputation, mainly because he's rumoured to be the brains behind the books Buck runs on sports events.

None of these people are Myers though and I'm starting to feel a little annoyed, wonder if I'm wasting my time and Nick's got it all wrong, even though his information generally comes good more often than not.

I'm on the verge of walking back out when Nick comes back over and nudges me, pointing to a small room at the other end of the gym. Apparently Wayne's out back so we begin to head in that direction and as we get closer I'm relieved to spot Myers through the open doorway.

Reckon my journey hasn't been wasted after all. The reason I'm here, looking for the boss of the River Kings, is simple.

My brother.

I sometimes wonder whether it's worth the effort of keeping things organised when every day lately something seems to turn to shit. Although I guess dealing with crap is what you're stuck with when you're running the show. We might be a small scale outfit compared to some the others around but I know I'm not suited to being part of someone else's organisation. Even before I took over the gang I was more interested in doing my own thing. Ain't never been one for following orders or being told what to do, would much rather make my own choices.

So I know I'll suck it up and sort it out like always, I've been fixing things for Curly for pretty much his whole life and that's not about to change now. He's not dumb, despite what people think. But he doesn't exactly do anything to help that impression when he gets caught up doing stupid jobs without any thought of the consequences.

Only my kid brother would break into a liquor store in another gang's territory, and then think it was funny when the cops arrest some River Kings boy for it. Well, I suppose that part is kind of funny - not that I'd admit it to Curly - but the rest of it ain't. Especially not the part where Wayne Myers knows it was him 'cause Curly was seen driving away from the store.

In my car.

So now Myers and his boys are out for payback and it's up to me to smooth things over. The last thing I need to happen is a full on war with the River Kings, I got too much other crap to think about without adding yet another unnecessary conflict to the mix. So things need fixing. Now.

"Myers."

"Shepard, surprised to see you here," Wayne remarks, sounding anything but, as he continues strapping up his hands, all the while watching me. Wayne's about as tall as me, tough looking and muscular, a couple of years older than I am.

"Think we need to settle things, set things straight."

"Yeah? I reckon your problem is with your idiot brother, not us," interrupts his brother, who's also there inside the room sitting on the table, smoking.

Pete's around my age and if you didn't know they were brothers you wouldn't ever think they were related. About the only thing they've got in common is their liking for fighting. That and a pretty formidable reputation for leading their own gang, the River Kings, 'cause they're both known for being tough and unforgiving to their own guys and anyone else who crosses them, so I suppose that's another reason why I feel the need to intervene on Curly's behalf.

"Don't fucking recall asking for your opinion, I'm here to talk with the boss, not _his_ idiot brother," I snap before turning back to Wayne, ignoring Pete who's on his feet, an angry expression on his face. "Now what Curly done was stupid, I'll admit that, but it ain't my problem the police got a witness who can't tell one hood from another. We need to keep things good between us, it would be pointless to let this blow up, give Tiber street the opportunity to take over this whole side of town while we get caught up fighting each other."

He doesn't answer straight away, looks like he's considering my suggestion, and I try not to get bothered or let on it's annoying me. I know he's just trying to make it seem like he's in control of the situation, try to work it to his advantage somehow—or at least that's what I'd be doing if things were reversed.

"Yeah, your brother sure is an ass but I've no wish to give those bastards a chance to expand. We've mainly managed to get along without bothering each other too much in the past, Shepard, so I tell you what, you let me take him on in a fair fight and we'll call things even. Saves me having to send anyone to hunt him down and settles things once and for all."

Wayne steps a little closer to me and from the corner of my eye I can tell that both Nick and Pete are paying great attention to us, ready in case anything kicks off.

"A fair fight yes, but not you. Someone else from your gang instead."

Hell, Wayne would probably take Curly out in about two minutes flat. Maybe quicker.

Wayne laughs, shrugs at me. "Yeah, okay. Well how about Pete then, let my kid brother take on yours?"

Looking Pete over again, I guess Curly is at least as tall, if not as strong, and if nothing else I suppose he would stand a better chance against him rather than Wayne, anyway. But before I can agree to this suggestion another voice interrupts us.

"Hey, Wayne, he's ready for you now…"

It's some girl and I glance around as she walks into the room before stopping just inside the doorway. Guess she's who Nick was speaking to back at the office. She looks a little familiar although I can't place who she is right now, and I wonder briefly why she'd want to be working in some dump like this.

"Jesus, Wayne, you trying to make him mad today? You know he won't have any fighting outside the ring."

It surprises me she doesn't seem all that bothered about finding four hoods hanging around, ain't scared to interrupt or nothing, just carries on talking to the guys she seems to know.

"You too, Nick, thought you'd know better than starting something down here, you know what he's like about trouble."

Smiling at Nick, she stands with her shoulder resting against the door frame now, arms folded while he grins back at her.

"Sorry, sweet, we had some business to sort out. You know how it goes," Nick replies, still smiling while she rolls her eyes at him.

I'm not impressed with this interruption though, ignore the chat and return my focus to Wayne, needing to get this deal agreed.

"Okay, so Friday night, at nine, I'll bring Curly, settle this whole mess once and for all?"

"Well, at least until the next stupid thing he does anyway. Over on 5th, behind the warehouse in that vacant lot."

"Deal. No trouble in the meantime, I'll tell my boys and you keep yours under control too."

We're still face to face in the middle of the room, neither of us wanting to be the first to back away, when the girl starts up again.

"Come on guys cut it out, you know he'll come back here for you if you're not out there in a minute, Wayne, then he'll be real cross."

"It's alright, these boys were just about to leave," Pete offers, sounding almost apologetic.

Glancing across at him, I'm amused to see that the younger Myers can't seem to take his eyes off of her whereas she seems keen to look at anything or anybody else, her eyes casting around the room before she looks up, catching me watching her, blushes a little.

"Jesus, Leigh, damn well tell them to hurry the fuck up, or must I do everything?"

Hearing Frank O'Connell shouting from outside the smile fades from her face.

"Well thanks for nothing, now he's mad with me too," she snaps, pushing herself away from the door frame before turning and leaving the room and seconds later Frank appears in the doorway, frowning.

"Come on, Myers, get your damn gloves on and get in the ring, now. Next time Leigh there asks you to do something, you damn well show her and me enough fucking respect as to listen, you understand? You know how it works in here. Respect me, my family and the club. And you two, if you're not here for boxing then get the hell out."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for reading, here's the next chapter... Let me know what you think :)

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**CHAPTER TWO**

_Friday evening._

Never did understand how people can eat so damn much when they know they got a fight coming up. Just sitting watching Curly chewing on his burger and fries is enough to turn my stomach. I never can stand eating before a rumble, don't even particularly want anything myself right now either, on the off chance I got to step in later to help him out.

So I'm on my feet, pulling a cigarette from the pack, tapping my pockets for my lighter.

"I'll be waiting outside when you're done."

Heading out the door of The Dingo, I take a look and check out who's around, before settling back by the car to wait. I ain't about to let him slope off any place on his own, get cold feet about tonight. Plus we got a meeting with the other guys first, apparently Danny's got some money making opportunity he wants to share with us all and Lord knows with the way things are at home right now I could do with any extra cash I can get my hands on.

A few people stop to speak with me, random guys I know from around the neighbourhood, a couple of Brumly boys, Mathews loiters around shooting the breeze before heading off to bother them two quiet kids him and Winston sometimes hang about with, while I slowly work my way through my smokes and wonder why the hell Curly's taking so damn long.

"Hey, Tim."

I recognise the voice, don't bother to turn around.

"What d'you want, Sylv?"

"Oh come on, Tim, don't be like that. Was only wondering if you're heading to meet Nick or something, if you could maybe give me a ride closer to home?"

"Yeah? Seems you managed to get here without my help."

"I know, but you can't blame a girl for asking can you?"

She's standing real close to me with her hand on my arm, all dangerous smiles and flirtatious eyes.

Only I know she don't mean a bit of it. Same as I haven't ever been interested in her. I'm not above winding Dallas up a little where she's concerned and there's no denying she's a good looking girl, but she is never gonna be more than Nick's kid sister to me—despite what some people like to imagine goes on between us.

"Sorry, darling, I got other plans than running around after you."

"Well, it was worth a try."

She shrugs and turns back to the group of girls who have caught up to her and things fall into place a little as I recognise one of them as that girl from Tuesday. Seeing her with Sylvia I realise that I've probably seen them around together countless times back when I was still in school without ever having taken much notice. Guess if the two of them knock around together then that'd explain Nick knowing her too. She isn't really paying attention to what's going on though, is smiling and talking and saying goodbye to the rest of the girls who set off away from here towards the road, before she turns back to Sylvia.

"You ready to go, Sylv?"

"You not working tonight then?" I ask, looking her over. She's not bad looking either, can pretty much hold her own looks-wise alongside Sylvia. Dark blonde hair, nice enough figure, a little shorter than Sylv, but attractive in her own way. If the opportunity arose I wouldn't turn her down, anyways. And it's not like that's a completely unrealistic thought, being as anyone who hangs around with Sylvia Miller ain't likely to be no angel.

She glances up, seems surprised that I'm speaking to her. "What? Oh, I don't exactly work down there, just help out sometimes."

"Why? You thinking of joining up? Need to improve your fighting some, Tim?" Sylvia asks, laughing.

"Don't reckon I need no help in that department, sweetheart."

"Yeah? Well if you change your mind I can always get you a deal on membership."

There's something about the way she looks at me as she's speaking that pisses me off a little. I might let Sylvia get away with shit sometimes on account of Nick, but I'm not prepared to take it off some random friend of hers too.

"Why, is that what you did for Myers? Or is there something else you're offering that makes him so keen to be spending all his time there?"

Only she don't see the funny side, just stares at the ground and for a split-second goes down in my estimations 'cause I think I've misjudged her, that she's one of them strait-laced girls that's going to start crying over nothing—and I really don't need no crap like that, get enough amateur dramatics at home from Angela without having to deal with it here as well.

Only once she says her piece it's clear she ain't upset after all, more that she's annoyed.

"Jesus, what the hell is it with everyone...you know it's getting real old, hearing that shit all the damn time."

I have to admit I'm a little taken aback by her outburst, and before I can say anything more in return she's walking away, taking Sylvia with her, leaving me grinning to myself. Hell, maybe she would be worth knowing a little better after all.

xxxxxx

We're in the back room at Buck's and even though they won't be there later to see it, all the guys are pretty buzzed about the fight, are talking Curly up on how he's going to do just fine. I'm probably the only one that don't say much, 'cause there isn't anything good I can say about it. I know he's got no chance and he's going to get beat. Has got to lose, to settle the deal.

Time is rushing by but we're still waiting on Danny Simmonds to arrive. He should have been here by now, should have finished his shift over at The Standard.

He's the newest member of our set up and he ain't exactly creating a good impression on me, considering it was him that wanted this meeting, claimed he had some job to share that would work out for all of us, that it couldn't wait and he needed to speak about it today.

But I keep my doubts to myself and quietly sit and watch while Curly and Jamie are playing cards, listen as Ryan starts telling some tall tale about some girl he's been after, what they spent the last weekend doing, what he's planning to do later once the bar busies up.

"So heard you spent the night with Nancy West again Saturday?" Ryan asks me with a grin.

"Not quite all night, but long enough."

Truth was I'd got away as soon as I'd got what I wanted from her, certainly don't need her to think we're an item. She's an alright broad, but not anyone special.

"You seeing her again?"

"No chance. Bit too needy for my liking I reckon."

"Yeah? Shame Sylvia's so caught up on Winston, otherwise I reckon I'd take my chances with her." Ryan smirks.

"Don't know that Nick would be too keen on that idea."

"Yeah, well, he can't be that bothered about who his sister's seeing if he ain't managed to get rid of Winston yet."

"What's that little fucker done now?" asks Nick, catching the end of the sentence as he walks into the room, Danny close behind him.

"Nothing." Ryan answers awkwardly while Nick glares at him suspiciously.

"Okay, Danny, What's the deal, what does your contact want?" I ask, wanting to get this over with. I don't need any trouble brewing between Ryan and Nick right now. Don't need any more issues before dealing with the River Kings.

"Any car parts we can source, he'll pay us a fair price for 'em. Pretty much anything we can lift he'll be able to use."

"What? Anything? You sure it's not too good to be true?" Nick says, not sounding convinced about any of it.

"Nah, he's a good guy, runs a repair shop across town, is fed up of paying dealer prices for spares I guess."

"Any other thoughts from anyone?" I look round at Curly, Ryan and Jamie, wondering if any of them has actually got anything useful to say.

"No," Ryan speaks up, while Jamie just shakes his head.

"Well, how'm I supposed to know what's good to lift and what's not? I don't exactly know nothing about motors," queries Curly.

"'S'all right, I can show you, it's real straightforward." Danny sounds keen, obviously pleased I'm taking his suggestion seriously.

"Okay, but I want to meet this guy before we get caught up in anything. Set up a meeting for Monday and we'll agree the details - prices, percentages, exactly how much gear he can handle, then take it from there. If things are agreed then we can start working on this next week. You all need to give some thought as to where we can hit enough motors to get these parts, we don't need any more issues over territory at the moment so use your heads."

And with that I'm on my feet, telling Curly to hurry the fuck up 'cause it's time we should be heading elsewhere.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Huge thanks to everyone reading. Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it...and would really like to hear what you think on how you it's coming along :)

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**CHAPTER THREE**

_Friday night_.

My brother thinks he's doing a real good job of hiding how nervous he is.

Well, Curly might have everyone else convinced that he ain't bothered, but he's sure as hell not fooling me. He's got to know he'll come off worse tonight, can't really be stupid enough to think he stands any kind of chance against Myers. Right now he probably hates me for making him go through with this. But that's the least of my worries, at the end of the day he needs to accept that it's his own damn fault for being quite so thoughtless in the first place.

The River Kings are already waiting. At the last minute I talked Nick into coming with us, which is feeling like a good decision 'cause there's another couple guys there with Wayne and Pete too. Stepping forward, I shake hands with Wayne and make some small talk. I can see Curly's surprised, but you got to do stuff right, follow the rules—and first and foremost I'm the gang leader. I've got my own reputation to maintain, even if it is my kid brother about to take a beating.

"Over to you then, Curly, try not to get knocked out too soon."

Even though I don't tell him, I know he ain't really that bad in a fight these days. He's got a hell of a lot better since that last spell in the reformatory, but he needs to concentrate on what he's doing, what Pete will throw at him.

Maybe he actually will do better than I'm expecting though—he seems to have started okay anyways, has landed a couple of decent punches on Pete.

Except now he makes the dumbass mistake of relaxing a little, 'cause he's thinking that he's doing alright. Hell, everyone here can probably see it. Curly's shoulders drop a little as he glances around, and I know Pete's noticed too when he just grins a little before really laying in to him.

Curly doesn't stand a fucking chance.

"You gonna stop this any time soon?" Nick murmurs as Curly staggers back towards us after yet another blow from Pete.

"Not yet."

"Come on, Tim, enough's enough. He's in a hell of a state already."

"Yeah, yeah, okay."

This time I have to agree, seeing as my brother's currently struggling to get up from the floor, having being knocked down yet again, there's blood pouring from his nose and his face is covered in angry looking bruises, the left eye swelling shut already.

"That's enough, Wayne. I reckon we're done now."

"Sure, Shepard, let's hope he's learned his lesson. If it happens again I won't be so generous. Next time it'll be me he takes on."

I don't reply; don't trust myself not to get drawn into a row with Wayne right now. Just watch as the arrogant fucker strides back towards his car, laughing and joking with his brother, congratulating him on a job well done, until Nick's voice turns my attention back to Curly.

"You taking him to the hospital?"

Rubbing my forehead for a couple of seconds, I consider the options, brush away Nick's concerns.

"Nope, can't afford any more medical bills, I'm gonna have to sort him out at home. He'll be fine, probably looks worse than it is."

"Stop at my place then, it'll be easier to patch him up there."

"Your parents not home tonight?"

I've got no wish to get into explaining what has happened to my own mother if I can avoid it, so definitely don't need any interference from someone else's.

"Nah, the old man's working the night shift and Ma's out of town visiting her sister."

xxxxxx

It's about ten minutes later when we pull up outside Nick's family home, although it seems like we've been in the car for a hell of a lot longer what with all the talking nonsense Curly's been doing while he's busy bleeding all over the back seat. The two of us end up half carrying, half dragging him up the front steps and in through the front door, before heading straight into the kitchen where we deposit him on a chair at the table.

Apparently the house isn't empty like he was expecting though. There's music coming from one of the bedrooms and Nick's expression is angry.

"The first aid stuff's in the cupboard over there. I need to make sure Sylvia ain't got Dallas fucking Winston in there. She damn well ought to know better than to bring him back here."

He strides off down the hall while I search out the stuff, only glancing round when I hear footsteps and voices. Seems Nick doesn't need to worry about Dallas after all as his sister follows him into the room, her friend Leigh at her side.

"What the hell's going on, Nick? Why're they here?" demands Sylvia, her hands on her hips, "Ma'll be mad as all hell if you make a mess, get blood everywhere."

Nick grins at his sister. "Thought you were going out tonight?"

"Decided it was better to stay here, less chance of running into people I got no wish to see."

"Yeah? You finally wised up and ditched him?"

Sylvia shrugs. "Had another fight, apparently he'd rather be looking at some other girl than talking to me, told him she was welcome to him. Anyway, quit trying to change the subject, what's been going on?"

"Jesus."

The sound of her voice causes me to turn round. While I've been watching them two bickering, the other girl has moved closer to Curly who's leaning back in the chair, eyes closed.

"Hey, wake up, you need to stay awake." Leigh speaks firmly to him, her hand on his shoulder and she seems real pleased when he opens his eyes.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, you got hit in the head some; you need to stay awake." She shifts a little closer to him. "Why don't you talk to me, so you don't fall asleep again?"

"Sure," and Curly starts up rambling again, talking about the fight and his friends and then about her, "Hey are you gonna look after me? You know you sure are nice, you know I like you a real lot."

"Yeah, sure, I'll take care of you."

And Leigh smiles at him, doesn't seem uncomfortable at all around my brother even when he's talking rubbish and sounding like he's trying to hit on her, humours him like you would a little kid while she picks up a cloth and starts cleaning the cuts on his face.

She ain't still smiling when she glances round at me though.

"What happened to him?"

"None of your damn business, so why don't you get out the way and let me sort this out."

"No."

"It wasn't a question, just get the hell out. He don't need any help from you."

We're glaring at each other now, the others simply watching, not interfering.

"No. Reckon I can do a better job than you would, being as it doesn't seem like you've done anything to look after him so far tonight. Thought families were meant to stick up for each other."

She doesn't look away and I don't care for the way she's speaking to me, 'cause it's clear she's holding me personally responsible for the mess Curly's in, only Nick steps in before I get a chance to get started on setting her straight with exactly what I think of her and her opinions.

"Let Leigh help him, Tim, she's probably a whole lot better at this shit than either of us, and we can't count on Sylv can we? You know what she's like, she'd probably only faint if I try to make her help."

"Yeah, alright."

I'm not happy about it but I guess I can't come off as completely unreasonable and Leigh's already turned back to Curly anyway. Feeling a bit unnecessary, I lean back against the cabinet while I scrutinise her working on my brother. Nick was right, she's a whole lot quicker and infinitely more patient than I could be, by now I'd most likely be yelling at Curly to hold still and quit whining. She doesn't pay any attention to me though, not until she's finished with sorting Curly out.

"He'll be Okay if you want to take him home now. It'd probably be good if you keep him awake for a while longer what with him being hit in the head so much."

And then she's back across the room, washing her hands and tidying up.

"Come on Curly, let's get you out to the car," cajoles Nick, helping him to his feet.

xxxxxx

Curly's just about settled in the back when Nick starts up talking again.

"Thanks for helping tonight, sweet, you going home already?"

"Yeah, don't need to get in trouble for being late again, and I've got an early shift at the diner tomorrow anyway."

"Tim can drive you home, save you some time."

I find myself scowling at Nick at the same time as she's answering him, sounding about as unhappy about his suggestion as I am.

"Oh, no. It's not far. I can walk."

"Hell, he owes you. Just give Leigh a ride home, Tim, she only lives on the same street as Mathews, won't take you more than a block out your way."

"Yeah, yeah, alright. Get in the damn car."

For a second I think she's going to refuse, but then she climbs in the front seat next to me, sits there real quiet, staring out the window and pulling on the cuffs of her sweater sleeves as I start up the car. I'm not sure why, but I feel the need to break this uncomfortable silence, only small talk ain't exactly my strongpoint so I say the only thing that springs to mind that might get her talking to me.

"Guess I should thank you for helping out, fixing him up so good."

She glances back over her shoulder and smiles warmly at my brother who's lounging on the back seat, apparently oblivious to our conversation, before she seems to relax a little and actually smiles at me too.

"It's alright. Who was he fighting with—was it Wayne? Was that what you were talking about the other day?"

"Yeah. It wasn't Wayne though, only Pete."

Leigh shakes her head at me. "You boys should all know better. Curly had no chance against him, he's still only a kid; how old is he, fourteen? Fifteen? He's lucky he didn't get hurt real bad, Pete could easily have killed him you know."

"Yeah, right."

"I'm not joking. Pete might not take the boxing so serious as Wayne but he's probably rougher, got a reputation down there as a real dirty fighter, that's why he doesn't get put in the competition fights, my dad says it's no good him entering if he can't fight fair."

It doesn't exactly shock me to hear we been played some by Wayne. What does surprise me is that anyone other than me still thinks of my lumbering hood of a brother as being a kid who might need looking after.

"I wouldn't have let it go any further than it did, it's kind of complicated. I appreciate what you did though, won't forget you helping us out."

"It wasn't anything really." She goes quiet again, but now we aren't bitching at each other it's actually pretty good talking with her, and I reckon I'd like to keep it that way.

"So what's with you and those River Kings boys then? You actually seeing one of them losers or something? That why you got so angry with me this afternoon?"

She shakes her head, looks a little embarrassed. "No, I wasn't really mad at you, it's just everyone at school seems to think that there's something between me and Pete and I'm pretty fed up with it. Honest to goodness there wasn't ever nothing going on, it's mostly a load of made up stories by people with nothing better to be doing than talk a load of rubbish. Don't see why it would matter to you even if I was seeing him though."

"Don't you? Maybe I wouldn't want no River King broad poking around in my business."

"God, you really think I care about any of your gang stuff?" she asks, only carries on before I can reply. "Honestly, I've got no clue what any of you boys are up to other than drinking or fighting or chasing girls and I'm not all that interested in finding out. The only reason I've got to be nice to Pete and Wayne is for my dad. Business is bad enough these days, he doesn't need me making it any worse."

"Yeah? You seeing anyone else then?"

"Not right now. My dad isn't exactly keen on me being with anyone before I finish school this year. So if I've got to spend my time sneaking around and lying to him it's not gonna be for just anyone, needs to be someone worth all that effort." She shrugs a little, seems resigned to the fact that that's how things are. "Speaking of which, can you stop at the end the street please? Don't need him getting the wrong idea if he sees you driving me home."

Stopping the car like she asks, I turn to face her, place my hand on her shoulder before shifting a little closer.

"Don't know that I'd let a girl's old man put me off that easy if I wanted to know her a little better."

Leigh doesn't move away or shrug my hand off, just closes her eyes for a split second before replying.

"Well, from what I hear you don't ever have no trouble finding yourself a date, Tim, and I shouldn't think any of _those_ girls are going to have parents you need to be worried about. And you've no need to be concerned with my problems, 'cause we both know I'm definitely not the kind of girl you'd go for."

She really ain't bad looking, especially this close up and my mind is wandering. I find myself wondering what it would be like to kiss her, and whether it feels as claustrophobic to her in here as it does to me right now.

"You sure about that?" I ask, staring her out, a half smile on my lips.

As the seconds drag by her face turns redder and redder until she finally brushes my hand away, doing everything she can to avoid making eye contact with me again, stumbling over her words while she struggles to open the car door.

"Yeah...I really got to go. Thanks…for driving me I mean…Jesus…I got to get home."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_Wednesday morning._

The whole building shudders a little as the front door bangs shut, but at least the house is calm again. Ma and Harry had been going at it shouting and yelling this past hour and I'm damn glad it's over; he's finally left for work. Or hopefully work. After one of their fights he could just as likely be going to chase down a drink, even at this time of the day.

Pouring myself coffee, I start searching through the cupboards for anything worth eating while wondering whether Angela's ever going to be finished in the bathroom or if there's any chance of hot water this morning. Behind me, Ma shuffles back in the room, sinks into her usual spot at the table and sparks up what most definitely ain't her first smoke of the day.

"Morning, Ma."

Filling another cup I push the coffee in front of her, don't bother to ask if she wants it 'cause I know she'd only say no—same as I know she'll drink it anyways now it's there.

She's still uptight over whatever's caused this latest row though, 'cause there's not even any pretence at pleasantries back from her this morning. Not that I really expect anything different from her, she doesn't ever make no effort to hide how she feels about me, how everything wrong in this family somehow always ends up being my problem to deal with.

"You need to get a proper job, Timothy, electric needs paying or we'll get cut off Friday, says so right here in this letter, come yesterday. See?"

I barely glance at the sheet of paper she's holding up to me. It's nothing new, is exactly like all the others I've seen a hundred times before, because for as long as I can remember we've been lurching from one final demand to the next, never truly on top of any of it.

"Yeah, okay I'll sort it."

"How? How do you think you're going to sort it out when you spend half the day sitting around the house? You're just like your father was, damn useless. I never raised you to be no criminal, but you seem determined to be like he was, don't make one bit of difference what I say or do, there's no getting away from the fact you're Ted Shepard's boy through and through."

"Yeah? Well if I'm so damned useless why is it that you're asking me to fix this, not your fucking drunk of a husband? And it's funny how you're never all that worried about where the hell I get my money from when I'm settling your bills."

Guess I hit a nerve with that, 'cause now she's up on her feet screaming at me, cursing me out for daring to criticise Harry, even though it ain't that far off from what half the street must have heard her saying about him already today. It doesn't ever seem to stay quiet in our house for long.

I know it'll wind her up even more but I don't have the energy to stay here and take it this morning, have heard it all a million times before anyways. Hell I could probably tell you what she's got in mind to say to me before she knows herself—it pretty much always boils down to the fact that I'm apparently too much like my father. Instead I take my cup and turn into the hall, hammer on the bathroom door.

"Damn it, Ange, hurry the fuck up in there will you?"

xxxxxx

_Wednesday afternoon._

Much to his disgust I made Curly go back into school this morning. Don't need him getting too used to lounging around the house and getting ideas about dropping out. Or another reason adding to the list of things for Ma to be on at me about.

I've scouted a couple of sites for us to hit while I was around town today and I'm impatient to get started on this scheme of Danny's so I've come to pick him up. Kids are starting to pour out the building and for once Curly doesn't let me down, gets out real quick, only now we're waiting on Ryan.

"You tell Lang we needed him?"

"Yeah, he should be here, said he would be."

Curly stands next to me and I guess the two of us are a pretty tough site. He's near enough as tall as me now, a little heavier set and without the scars, although he's still pretty beat up from Friday. You couldn't ever miss the fact we're family. I'm amused as a couple girls walk past, smiling at the pair of us while Curly says something to make them blush.

"Friends of yours?"

"Not yet." He cracks a grin, his eyes still following the brunette as she walks away whispering to her friend. "Aiming on getting to know Debbie a little better though, reckon I might have a chance with her."

"Yeah? She ain't bad I suppose."

"Yeah, got to be worth a try anyway, I'm planning on taking her out at the weekend."

"She say yes then, even with you still looking like that much of a mess?"

"Hell yes, chicks love a guy who looks like he needs taking care of," he brags, his expression giving away to me just exactly how keen he is on this girl. "Oh that reminds me, I seen Leigh earlier, she came over in the hall, asked me how I was doing."

"That all she say?"

Soon as I say it I regret it, know from his expression that he's going to make something out of it. 'Cause for all that it's useful to have a fair idea what's going on in his head, it bothers me how well Curly can read me in return, how he can cut through my crap easier than anybody when he puts his mind to it.

"Well yeah, why? What were you expecting her to say Tim? You interested in her or something, hoping she'd be asking about you? She's kind of cute ain't she?" He cracks a grin at me, and laughs to himself.

"I guess, hadn't really thought about it."

"Could have fooled me. You sure sounded interested Friday, when you two was talking in the car."

He hasn't mentioned any of that up until now and so I'd persuaded myself that he'd been out of it, hadn't heard any of our conversation or if he had that he'd forgotten it. Focusing on my cigarette I try to bluff it out, hope he'll lose interest and let it go.

"Reckon you really did have a concussion, I was only messing with her. She's alright I suppose, but she ain't exactly my type."

My type. Cheap, easy broads who like hanging around bars and who'll do most anything if you buy them a drink or two and say the right things. Don't have to take them out or meet their families; don't even have to remember their names to get what you need. It's not exactly classy but it sure saves a lot of trouble. Everyone knows the score and isn't expecting anything more.

And normally that suits me just fine.

"Why not? I reckon she might be worth getting to know a bit better."

"Yeah? You like her so much why don't you take her out?" I snap at him, wishing he'd shut the fuck up and stop making me think about the girl that I've spent half the week trying to forget.

It's ridiculous. I can't understand why she's been on my mind so much seeing as I've had the grand total of two conversations with her—and one of those was more fighting than talking. And while she looks pretty fine there's plenty easier ways to get some action, 'cause she sure doesn't seem like a girl who's going to fall into bed with me just 'cause I buy her a vodka or two. Hell, I'm not convinced she even likes me, sure seemed like she couldn't get away quick enough anyways. Which I've been telling myself is fine, 'cause I don't want nothing serious, haven't got time for some girl to be putting demands on me—not on top of everything else I got going on with keeping the family afloat and the guys in line.

Although I still can't help thinking that maybe it might be worth trying my luck with her. Just once. To get her off of my mind and out of my system.

xxxxxx

_Wednesday evening_.

"Can deliver this stuff tomorrow, reckon we'll do alright out of it though."

The trunk of my car is currently full of car parts, and now we're sat in the Dingo waiting for Nick and Danny to get out of work. We've hit a few cars in the parking lot the Country Club, parked in the back lane that runs round the edge the grounds and went through a hole in the fence, being as the three of us couldn't exactly drive in the front gate in my piece of shit car without drawing attention to ourselves. There were some mighty fine motors lined up there and it almost seemed a shame to trash 'em. But needs must and I reckon we need the cash more than these rich bastards. Spending your days playing golf and drinking whiskey sure sounds a hard fucking life.

"Yeah, should get a few dollars for that lot, we doing anything else with it this week?" Asks Ryan. "Only, I got a girl I want to see the weekend."

"Tomorrow night, we'll hit a couple of streets across town in the evening when we got more than just my car, when Nick and Danny are about too. Should get all the cash by Friday so then you'll be set for the weekend."

I've also got some job lined up for myself for Merrill tomorrow, driving and collecting some stock for the bar he's got on the cheap. Not exciting or entirely legal, but easy money at least, and means I'll have a little left over after the bills have been paid.

"Sounds good. You coming up to Buck's Friday night then?"

"More than likely, ain't heard there's a lot else going on this weekend."

"Nah, got that date with Debbie, gonna take her to the movies or something, try to impress her some," Curly chips in, grinning. "So can I take the car, Tim?"

"Try your luck at getting her in the back seat more like," I suggest, rolling my eyes at him. Seems my brother's getting more like Ryan every day, thinking he's some kind of ladies' man.

"No. Well maybe, it sure would be a bonus, only I reckon she'd be worth waiting for."

"Now I've heard it all. My brother, the last fucking great romantic. Yeah you can take the damn car, for all the good it'll do you."

"Hell, maybe you should try it sometime, Tim," he retorts, angrier than I expect him to be, "Least I'll know her name and have said more than five words to her before I'm screwing her."

"Fuck off, Curly. It'll be damn miracle if she even shows up," I snap back, smacking him upside the head, annoyed that Ryan's obviously trying not to laugh at his words too, while Danny arrives and tries to figure out exactly what the hell we've all been talking about.

"What's going on guys?"

"Nothing."

My brother really needs to remember to show some fucking respect. The rest of them too. Last thing I need is Curly and the rest of this fucking shower of losers trying to give me advice about women, but it seems my tone is enough to make it obvious that the conversation's over, 'cause none of them says another word on the subject.

* * *

A/N: Big thanks to everyone reading etc, hope you're enjoying it so far. Not too much action in this one, just a little bit of time hanging around with Tim ;) ...so how do you think it went - if you've a spare minute or two I'd really appreciate some feedback on whether it's working out or not :)


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

_April 1965._

_Friday night._

I can already hear the music and chatter of voices as we turn the corner onto the street. Guess the weekend isn't going to be as quiet as I thought after all 'cause Nick's persuaded me we should head to some house party he's heard about. Not entirely sure whose party or whose house, some friend of a friend of a friend, not that it really matters because it's in our neighbourhood so it's not like we won't be welcome.

"First things first, reckon we need to find the beers," suggests Nick.

"Smartest thing you've said all day, Miller."

The pair of us cut through the crowd and head into the house, although it takes far longer than necessary with people constantly stopping the pair of us to talk, shake my hand, keep on my good side. Most of the people here are familiar. Along with our gang there's also a whole load of guys out of Brumly, Winston and a couple of the Curtis lot too. But it's not only a bunch of guys, there's a good number of girls hanging around too, mostly still in their groups at the moment while they drink and talk and check out who's around tonight.

As the night progresses it's the same old story. Lots of standing around watching the talent, while having to listen to a whole load of shit from people who know my reputation and want to impress me. We're hanging around on the porch when Nick nudges me.

"You hoping to spend any time with Nancy tonight?"

"Not especially."

"Well, she's heading this way right now."

"Jesus, that's all I need." I've been kind of hoping to find someone different tonight, have been even thinking about heading back to Buck's at some point later. "Reckon it's time to find another beer. You coming?"

"Nah, gonna go find Jude, she's out here somewhere."

So there's the real reason he was so keen to head this way tonight. Since he met her at work a couple months ago, Nick's been seeing Judith Summers more often than not.

"Yeah? Guess that means I'll catch up with you tomorrow then?"

"Most likely," he replies, grinning, as we go our separate ways.

xxxxxx

I'm heading inside in search of that drink when someone steps out the sitting room, causing me to pull up real quick so we don't collide in the dark hallway.

"Oh, sorry," she mumbles, sounding embarrassed.

I hadn't realised Leigh was here tonight, wasn't anticipating running into her. But now I have, well maybe I can make something out the opportunity.

"It's alright, ain't no damage done. You going to get another drink?"

She shakes her head, not making eye contact, her eyes on the front door. "No, not really."

"Hell, isn't it a bit early to be leaving? It's not even ten o'clock. Who you here with?"

"Sylvia. Or at least I was. She's left with Dally, decided to forgive him for the latest crappy thing he's done to her. I expect they've gone back to Buck's… If I wanted to spend my evenings on my own would be a hell of a lot less trouble to just stay at home in the first place." And her expression says it all; being ditched by her friend for Winston clearly isn't a new experience for her.

"Well her leaving ain't no reason for you to be on your own. Listen, the pair of us got off to a bad start last week so how about you have a drink with me, put all that behind us?"

She briefly looks down, and for a few seconds I'm convinced she's going to be the first girl in quite some time to turn me down flat.

"Maybe. Suppose I shouldn't get home too early or my dad will figure out I been telling him a whole load of bull about where I've been."

"Yeah? Where you meant to be then?" I ask, following her into the kitchen.

"Movies, over at the drive in," she says, finally smiling properly as I rummage for the drinks in the fridge. "At least they don't change the movies too often, can generally bluff my way through telling him what we seen if he asks."

"You had a lucky escape then. My brother's persuaded some poor girl to go over there with him tonight, so at least you didn't have to watch that all blow up in his face when she ditches him." I pause, glancing back at her, as I hold up a couple of cans. "Seems like there ain't anything besides beers left in here. Might be something else outside?"

"Beer'll be fine, thank you. So how's your brother feeling now? Saw he was back in school the other day."

"Yeah, he's back to being an annoying pain in the ass so he's got to be alright."

She's still looking a little uneasy, her eyes on the mass of people squashed into the small room, or the floor, or pretty much anything but me, and she drinks the beer a little too quickly, sipping at it every time there's a pause in our conversation like she can't wait to get it finished and get away from me.

Except I don't want her to go, or start up talking with some other guy. So I try my hardest and ask her anything and everything I can think of to get her talking to me. So that as we both drink some more, and the minutes tick past, our conversation starts to flow a little easier and I wonder maybe she does like me some after all 'cause she doesn't appear in so much of a hurry to leave now. Instead by the time she lets me pass her another drink her attention is completely on me.

We're swept along a little when the crowd shifts around us as people come in and out the room so that after a while we've ended up back out in the cramped hallway which I reckon is a blessing 'cause the narrow space means we end up standing real close to each other. I'm even pleased when someone in the next room turns up the goddamned awful music because now it's so fucking loud that every time I speak she has to lean a little closer to hear what I'm saying. Then she doesn't try to stop me when I rest my hand on her waist as I take the opportunity to move a little closer again as though to stop her being crushed when a whole pack of people push past us, and it's about then that I realise I'm not listening to a word she's saying any more. Not 'cause I'm not interested in what she's saying, but because all I can think about is whether or not she'll stop me if I try to kiss her a little.

Only I never get the chance to find out.

"Hey, Shepard, you got a minute?"

Clearly I haven't, would imagine it was obvious I'm kind of busy right now, what with the fact I got some good-looking girl pressed up against me. Then again, I guess Chris Lewis thinks he got some God-given right to interrupt being as he thinks he's some fucking big shot in his own set up out in Brumly.

"What d'you want, Lewis?"

"A word."

"Carry on."

"In private. Regarding some mutual friends of ours down by the River. Won't take no more than a couple of minutes of your time."

Jesus, I am getting a little sick of things being fucked up by the River Kings lately.

I'm thinking of telling Lewis to get lost, 'cause the prospect of being with Leigh is a whole lot more appealing than hearing what Wayne's getting into this week, until she rests a hand on my arm to regain my attention.

"Why don't you come find me when you're done?" And then she kisses me real quick on the cheek before she leaves.

"Sure will," I murmur to myself as I watch her walk through the crowd and out the door before turning to follow Chris further into the house. "This better be worthwhile, Lewis."

xxxxxx

Lewis has finally shut up. So much for only needing a couple of minutes, it's been at least a quarter of an hour. Wayne's been causing him some trouble, but I'm not interested in dealing with it right now, have agreed to meet up again tomorrow to discuss it properly 'cause I got more important things to attend to tonight.

Grabbing another couple of beers as I pass by, I stride out the door and scan the garden in search of her, hoping she hasn't had second thoughts and left. But when I see who she's talking to I almost wish she had gone. Nancy West. Hadn't figured the two of them for friends, and it appears I'm right about that 'cause the closer I get the more obvious it becomes that this ain't no friendly chat going on.

There's a real uncomfortable air around them and Nancy's doing most of the talking which is never a good thing. Can't imagine that she's got anything good to say anyways. Leigh's got her back to me, but it seems Nancy's going on and on, a real harsh expression on her face, which instantly gives way to a broad smile when she glances up and catches me watching the pair of them.

"Hey, baby, that for me?" She sidesteps round Leigh to grab one of the cans from my hand, sliding her other arm around me, while Leigh studies the pair of us.

Me and Nancy haven't ever been a couple. She's just some easy broad who ain't ever likely to say no if you're after a girl for the night and it's not like we've ever done anything together aside from the occasional drunken hook up of a weekend. I've never promised her anything more than that; hell I doubt I've ever even had a proper conversation with her.

I don't get a chance to do anything about setting her straight because Leigh's already speaking, her tone scornful, "Well, sure was a pleasure talking to you both, only I got places I need to be. Hope you have a good night together." And then she turns on her heel, starts picking her way between the groups of people as she heads for the street.

"So what were you two talking about?" I ask Nancy, trying not to sound as pissed off as I'm feeling right now.

"Oh nothing much, she just needed setting straight on a few things. So, do you want to go inside, see if we can find somewhere a bit quieter, more private?"

Pushing the second beer into her hand I start to walk away. "Sorry, sweetheart, reckon I've got better places to be tonight too."

xxxxxx

"Hey wait up."

Leigh's almost at the corner of the street when I catch up to her. She doesn't pay any attention to me or stop though, just carries on walking as I fall into step beside her.

"Surprised you're leaving so soon, Tim."

"Why? You told me to come find you again, so here I am."

"Yeah? Well you've had your kicks, made me feel an idiot in front of everyone. So why don't you go back to your girlfriend? Knew I should have stayed home tonight."

"Jesus, she ain't my girl, and I haven't been playing any games with you. At least let me walk you home if you're set on going?"

"Guess I can't exactly stop you, it's a public road and all."

Her head's down, she still won't look at me and the atmosphere between us is real tense again, only not in that good way it had been back in the house. All that time spent getting her to feel at ease with me has been blown away by a bunch of crap from Nancy West. I don't have the first clue what to do about this though. I mean it's not like I can tell her what to do like one the guys, or yell and fight it out like I would with Angela.

We walk another hundred yards or so in awkward silence when I realise we're coming up to the park, where I used to take Ange when she was a little kid when we needed to get away from home for a while.

"Look, can we stop here, talk for a minute?"

"Yeah. Okay." But she don't sound like she means it, uses that same tone of voice she used on Curly back in Nick's kitchen, humouring me 'cause she thinks it will let her get away the quickest.

We stop just inside the gate, where she sits on the low wall, staring at me as I stand real close beside her, and I sure hope I don't fuck things up again.

"I thought the two of us were getting on pretty good tonight, only it's all gone to hell again and that sure wasn't my intention."

"So what was your intention? Passing some time until your girlfriend showed up?"

"Hell, I already told you once that she's not my damn girlfriend."

"Perhaps you need to tell Nancy then, because she sure seems to think she is." And at last there's a hint of a smile on her face as she watches me. "Anyway, I haven't got all night. I've got to be home pretty soon, so how about you tell me whatever the hell it is you've got on your mind?"

I don't get why it's become so important but I'm getting real frustrated with skirting round the issue, need to know exactly what she thinks of me. Only every way I try to phrase the question in my head sounds so fucking lame that I end up just standing there for what feels like forever, until I realise it's now or never and I need to do _something_ even if it does result in her slapping me in the face and telling me to fuck off.

So with that in mind I decide to take my chances and go for it, move in real close and finally, properly, kiss her.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

_Saturday afternoon._

Lewis appears in the doorway scratching his head, and he doesn't seem fully awake, despite it being the middle of the afternoon. Guess no one else is going to be in on the meeting after all 'cause the place is real quiet, the only other person in the house appears to be his girl and she's stretched out on the couch, an arm slung across her eyes, looking like she's still asleep.

"Take a seat, she's got a bit of a bad head from last night's drinking, so she ain't exactly feeling very social," he says with a grin as he shoves her feet roughly off the couch to make room for himself to sit down, while gesturing for me to take the chair opposite.

"Fuck's sake, Chris," she snaps, scowling at him.

"Don't like it? Then take yourself back to bed, sweetheart, only I got business needs attending to."

"Yeah? Reckon I will you asshole." And next minute she's on her feet, slapping him half-heartedly across the back the head before stomping out the room, while Chris laughs and offers me a cigarette.

Once she's out of sight I turn back towards him as I ask, "So what exactly you hoping I'm gonna do about Myers?"

"Hell, it's like I told you last night, the Kings are pushing all the time into our territory just recently."

"And why's that my problem?"

"Because from what I been hearing he ain't just set on expanding this way, he wants your streets too. And he ain't turning over stores or stealing motors no more, you got to have heard they're getting in to dealing now."

He'd hinted as much last night. It's not my thing, but I don't much care if that's how other people want to waste their time and money. But he ain't letting it go, persists in giving me details of deals and places they been working, along with examples of all the other shit the River Kings have been doing over here in Brumly this past month. I have to admit I'm surprised by how much Myers has stepped things up into Chris's part of town; how he's doing it all so blatantly, almost like he's trying to make it appear like Lewis is losing his control.

"Hell, if people want to do that then that's down to them, and if they don't buy the gear from the Kings then they'll only find someone else to get it from."

"Yeah? You want them selling in your territory? Want that little sister of yours having a smoke with all her friends, maybe trying something a little stronger that she gets from some guy dealing at the end of your street, then ending up on a real downer and in all sorts of trouble 'cause she don't know what she's doing?"

I'm pretty sure Angela's got more sense than that, but even so his words hit a nerve. I'm not exactly sure which way to play this yet though. At the moment I've got that agreement in place with the River Kings, keeping each other at arm's length on account of Tiber Street, haven't any proof they're working on my territory. And I'm not dumb enough to trust Wayne Myers to keep his word on anything unless it suits him to be doing so. On the other hand Brumly don't ever give us no trouble, have always had our backs in a rumble if we've needed them in the past, so that's got to be why Lewis is thinking I'll be prepared to help him out on this.

"Leave it with me, I'll see what I can find out about what going on. Don't go doing nothing rash and we'll see if we can figure out some way to deal with him that suits us both. I'll be in touch again in a couple of days."

I'm on my feet, holding my hand out for him to shake and agree on this plan.

"Yeah thanks, Tim. So did you have a good night last night, get anywhere with that girl you were with?" He asks, grinning again.

"Yeah, wasn't a bad night." I smirk back, heading back out the door, "See you around, Chris."

And it's not his problems that I'm thinking about as I drive away, 'cause not for the first time today my mind is preoccupied with that girl.

God knows how long we were there, but it had all been going pretty damn well, got pretty heated between us, and it sure seemed like she was enjoying being there with me. That was until some fucking racket from a passing wreck of a car disturbed things, caused her to think about how late it had got and set her on to worrying about being late home and getting in trouble. Then after that there was no changing her mind or persuading her to stay, ended up just walking her the rest of the way home. She sure was good company though, even if it was a damn shame that I never got to take her back to my place.

From our conversation earlier in the evening, I know she works Saturdays, down the Double R, and I'm pretty sure she said she was working 'til four today. And now it's ten to—and I'm only a couple of streets away.

xxxxxx

It's about five past and I still haven't seen her. People come and go out the door, only Leigh isn't one of them. Hell, maybe I got the time wrong after all. Guess I should finish this cigarette and quit hanging around out here looking desperate, just go home. And I'm about to leave as she finally comes out the diner, catches sight of me, and fixes me with a real big smile.

"Hi." She smiles again, biting her bottom lip, stopping right in front of me. "Didn't expect to see you round here."

"Yeah? Well, I did say I'd see you soon."

"I guess. Didn't suppose you actually meant it though."

"Hell, like I told you last night, I don't say anything I don't mean. I happened to be in the neighbourhood and thought you might like a ride home?"

"That'd be great. Except my dad's down the block at work, he'll be expecting me to go there."

And I must look as hacked off as I'm feeling about hearing this, 'cause she carries on trying to explain to me as she takes a step closer, rests her hand on my arm.

"I'm sorry but I'm not making it up, it honestly isn't just some excuse, Tim."

"Don't worry about it."

I'm not sure that I believe her and my petulant tone clearly makes that obvious to her too 'cause she frowns a little, glances away, before staring right back at me, like what she's going to say next is some real big deal.

"Um...Are you doing anything later? He's going out, around seven, drinking with a couple of his old army buddies. You could maybe come pick me up then if you like and we could go out someplace? Or I could come meet you?" I'm pretty surprised that she's asking and it seems the feeling must be mutual 'cause her face reddens as she hastily starts backtracking a little, "I mean... that is if you want to... Though I guess you're probably busy, got other places you'd rather be."

"Really?" I ask and I can't help grinning at her 'cause it feels like a pretty big deal to hear her saying she wants to spend more time with me.

"Yeah, if you want to." She shrugs a little, smiles one last time, then starts to walk away. "Anyway, I better get going."

xxxxxx

_Saturday night._

I've just spent the best part of three incredibly long hours at home, killing time while trying to avoid listening to my brother and sister bitching at each other over the television, Angel winding Curly up about that broad he took out and him bad mouthing all her friends.

So it's almost a relief to finally be standing on the front step at her place.

"Hi, do you want to come in a minute? I'm nearly ready."

"Sure, though you look fine to me."

"Thanks. Um, you want a drink while you're waiting?" She smiles a little as she heads into the kitchen, me close on her heels.

"Sure, that'd be good."

"You want a beer, there's enough left that he won't notice, don't ever count 'em? Me and Sylv been taking 'em for years now." She's laughing a little, as she offers me the bottle from the fridge.

"Okay." My hand brushes hers as she passes me the drink and instantly the atmosphere is real tense between us again and I find I can't take my eyes off of her as I follow her back into the sitting room then take a seat on the couch like she suggests before she disappears off further into the house, promising she won't be long.

I'm surprised to be feeling this edgy, but honestly, the thought of being around this girl in an empty house is messing with my head a little.

The house is identical to Nick's and every other house on these streets. There's not a lot of furniture in the room, just the couch, and an armchair with a side table stacked with sports papers and notebooks, then the television under the window. On the window ledge is the radio, playing in the background, the only sound in the house. It's all pretty old, worn out stuff but again the room is insanely tidy, just like the kitchen was. Not like our place. The mess there drives me crazy, what with Ma's newspapers and crap everywhere, all the dishes stacked in the sink from one day to the next until someone actually needs something. Must be weird living in a house that ain't full of people and noise and fighting all the time.

It's barely a couple of minutes later when she returns to the room, looking much the same aside from the fresh lipstick and the hint of perfume, still so familiar to me from yesterday, and she sits right beside me while I try to think of something to say to lighten the tension.

"You look real pretty tonight." Jesus, talk about fucking predictable. But she doesn't seem to mind, actually seems pleased I said it.

"Thank you, you had a good day? Sure was glad to get out of work, it was real busy all day."

"So why work there then if you already got that job with your old man?"

"For the money of course," she says, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Don't get paid for helping my dad. I do it to help him out, he hasn't been so well this last year, so me doing the office stuff means he doesn't have to do everything himself. Anyway, where d'you want to go tonight?"

"Where does he think you're going?"

"Nowhere. I didn't make any plans on account of being out yesterday."

"So what's the deal with your father then? He real strict or something?"

"Not especially, I guess it's kind of complicated. He likes to think I'm somewhere safe, but he doesn't mind me going out with Sylvia and stuff."

"Really? He ever met Sylvia?"

"Yeah, well, she can be awful good at making the right impression on people, being what they want to see. Me and him get on pretty good mostly, and it's only been the two of us so long now that I can hardly remember it ever being any different. It's just that a couple months ago I, well… he made me promise I'd keep out of trouble until I finished school. And that includes not getting involved with any more boys."

"What'd happen if he found me here then? He likely to hit you or something?"

"Oh, no, he wouldn't ever do that," she says, indignantly. "He's got no time for guys who hit women."

"Yeah, guess I'd agree with that."

"He wouldn't think twice about fighting with you though, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want him coming after you. He might be getting old but I reckon he's still a lot tougher than you'd think. No, he wouldn't really be mad at me though, I suppose he'd be… disappointed."

"Yet here you are…sitting here with me."

She seems a little awkward, don't look at me as she answers. "You always do everything your folks tell you, Tim?"

"Honey, my Ma stopped telling me what to do soon as I was big enough to take care of myself, she ain't interested what I do so long as it don't cause her no bother."

"Well I'm not so lucky. But if he doesn't know, he can't exactly worry about it can he? And it's not like I make a habit of it."

"Yeah? Guess that makes me special then?"

"Yeah, I guess it does."

And with that she's in my arms, and we're pretty much picking up right where we left off last night.

xxxxxx

Can't remember the last time I was headed home this early on a Saturday night.

I'd been thinking I'd head over to Buck's and finding the rest the guys. Only I make it as far as the parking lot before it hits me that I don't want no questioning from them on where I've been, not entirely sure I want to drag what I've been doing with her into no bullshit bragging session just yet.

Turns out to be a damn lucky decision.

I'm taking the left back towards home when I spot a small group of kids hanging around in the shadows out the back of the Standard, barely visible in the glow of the broken sign.

Slowing the car I take a long look. A couple of them I half recognise as some of them middle class soc wannabe kids that hang around in Jays. The other kid who's the focus of their attention I don't know. What is obvious is the fact there's some kind of purchase going down, with minimal effort to hide the fact.

So Lewis' information was right after all, and once again I got issues to deal with.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN **

_Tuesday Night._

Finally there's a plan we both agree on.

It ain't nothing smart and it's most definitely not subtle, but at least it should send out the required message to the River Kings—especially when we hit them here on our streets and over in Brumly at pretty much the same time.

Eventually, after the best part of an hour, our waiting pays off when there's movement across the street. Some guy gets out his car, hangs around, and sure enough, within a few minutes, a few people have approached him.

"Reckon that's Myers' dealer?"

"Yeah, it's got to be, looks like the same punk I saw Saturday."

And from then on in it all plays out real smooth, just like we planned it.

First off Nick heads over, makes like he wants to buy something and then as soon as it's obvious we got the right guy I join him, and I guess it's enough to say that jerk don't stand no chance against the pair of us.

xxxxxx

One of Lewis' guys has been and gone, so it seems like everything went to plan from their end too.

I know that there'll be comeback sooner or later from Myers, that I need to be extra watchful, but in the meantime we can't let things slide, so Nick and me make plans for the rest the week. We've still got that car parts business going on and it's proving to be a decent regular earner, we're working it again tomorrow night. And so with business sorted for the night I find my eye wandering to the bunch of broads hanging around alongside us at the bar.

"So which one have you got your eye on?" Nick asks with a smirk, glancing over at them.

I just shrug, rest my beer bottle against the sore spot on my jaw where that little fucker managed to land the one and only decent punch he threw all night, while I look the girls over once again.

"Not one of them? That don't sound like you, Tim. You sick or something?"

"Nah, don't worry I'm just trying to figure out which one I like the look of most. Reckon I might have to stay a little longer, grab another drink while I decide. You need another?"

"Would love one, but I got the early shift tomorrow, so I'm gonna get going. Have a good night."

"Yeah, reckon I will."

This girl next to me is making it obvious what she's offering and while she ain't exactly no beauty queen, I'm not exactly known for turning that down. So we have another drink, pass the time of day, and she don't say no when I suggest we go someplace else, where we can get a little better acquainted.

xxxxxx

_Wednesday afternoon._

"Please, Tim, can we stop at the diner? I'm real hungry and I bet there's nothing worth eating at home," pleads Angela as she gets back into the car, already wearing her new purchase that she's so pleased about, Ma's pharmacy bag clutched in her hand.

I finally gave in, had enough money spare this week that she could buy shoes, so at least I won't have to listen to her bitching about the old ones hurting her feet or have her constantly asking me to drive her to school no more. Only as usual she's pushing her luck and wanting even more from me.

"Sorry, kid, we're not going near the Dingo, I'll take you home but me and Curly got things to do."

"Didn't say there, why not the Double R?"

"Like I said, I got things to do."

"Oh please, Tim, I like it there. I go with my friends sometimes, they do real good shakes. And it's right on our way."

"Yeah go on, Tim." Curly joins in with her and she grins triumphantly at me for a second before he continues, smirking at her while he speaks, "Least it might shut her the fuck up from moaning _and_ we won't need to eat nothing she's tried to cook later."

"Shut it, Curly!" She snaps, leaning forwards and slapping him across the back of the head.

"Okay, okay, we'll stop, so long as you two quit it and both shut the fuck up." Their constant bickering is doing nothing to improve my mood. Much as I want to tell them no, I know it'll be easier just to stop there, reckon I got just enough money left over for them both to have something without using up too much of my cash before the weekend.

xxxxxx

We take a table by the window, not that you can see much, through the rain on the outside of the glass and the condensation on the inside. The seats are shiny and red and some crappy tune that Angela seems to love is playing on the jukebox.

A waitress comes up and takes their order, comes back with our drinks, as Curly starts up smiling and waving at someone over my shoulder.

"Who are you grinning at?"

"Oh you remember, it's Leigh—that friend of Sylvia's?"

"Yeah, I remember."

Glancing quickly over my shoulder I spot her near the back of the restaurant, chatting and laughing with some customers. She sure looks good, even in that uniform, and now I've seen her the idea of getting together with her again is feeling pretty damn appealing. 'Cause seeing her one more time don't have be no big deal—and it would likely be a hell of a lot more enjoyable than last night turged out to be.

Angela starts up talking, telling Curly some convoluted story she's heard at school about people I don't know and got no interest in hearing about. So instead of listening, I find myself watching Leigh again as she returns back behind the counter, think about last Saturday night.

"Afternoon, Leigh, how's things?" grins Curly as she approaches our table, all three of us turning our attention to her.

Her eyes are focused on the plates she's carrying, and she doesn't look up when she speaks, which has the effect of making her appear real awkward. Or perhaps she's just disappointed that I'm here.

"Oh hey, Curly, yeah I'm good thanks. Um one cheeseburger and fries, one barbecue sandwich and fries?"

She sets the plates in front of Curly and Angela and I'm surprised when she suddenly turns to me. I sure as hell hope she don't say anything about the weekend, that this don't degenerate into some scene in front of these two, last thing I need is them knowing all my business.

Only somehow it's worse.

She's polite enough but only in the way she'd probably speak to anyone who's just walked in here for the first time, just sounds like she don't hardly know me.

"Should there be another burger, did something get missed from your order?" she asks, frowning, and I'm pleased that despite her cool tone her cheeks are a little flushed, can't help hoping that's down to seeing me, rather than just the fact it's about three hundred fucking degrees in here.

"No, that's everything."

"Oh, Okay, would you like some more coffee then?" She smiles at me, and I get the feeling that she's hoping I just say no. But I'm not about to let her off that easy. 'Cause if I'm feeling this damn uncomfortable then she might as well be too.

"Yeah, sure, that'd be good."

After she's refilled my cup she walks away, mostly stays at the farthest point of the restaurant, or else ducks back behind the counter. But every now and then I still catch her watching us, watching me.

xxxxxx

Curly and Angela are already heading back out to the car, but I take my time pulling the cash from my pocket to cover the bill, hang around until she's back clearing a nearby table. I smile as I catch her glancing over at me yet again, and she actually smiles back this time, seems a little more relaxed now it's just me standing here.

"Well thanks then, Leigh."

"No problem, hope everything was okay for you?"

"Yeah, they both ate the lot so must've been good. How come you're here today? Thought you said you only did this Saturdays?"

"Yeah well I'm sorry if I'm spoiling your day, but Marie's been sick, so I've been coming in after school helping out."

She sounds real serious but she's still smiling, and I ain't entirely sure if she's just joking or actually means it.

"Look I know I haven't been in touch, only I've been kind of busy these past few days."

A bell rings, signalling orders are ready for collecting, and she glances quickly back towards the kitchen before she continues.

"Don't worry about it. You don't owe me no explanation, Tim. I...well, you didn't make me no promises so you've got no need to feel bad. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into the other day, I mean it's not like I wasn't already well aware of your reputation."

Jesus.

Hearing her say that hurts far more than it fucking should.

I reckon it would have been less painful if she'd just turned round and fucking slapped me and told me to get lost or something, 'cause I know exactly what she's thinking about me, about my reputation. The reputation that up until now I've been proud of.

She thinks I'm just some hood who screws around. Who doesn't give a damn about no one but himself. A damn accurate assessment of me too, I guess.

"Leigh, wait a minute. It wasn't—"

Only that bell rings again and she interrupts me. "They need me at the kitchen. I've got to go."

"Look, are you gonna be—"

"Hey, Leigh honey, hurry it up okay!" yells the guy leaning through the kitchen hatch and I wonder if I'm ever going to get the chance to say what I want to, end up rushing out my question before anyone or anything else interrupts me.

"Do you wanna go out some place with me tonight?" Hell, the guys don't need me for that car scam, can manage fine without me.

"No, sorry." She shakes her head, lifts up the pile of dirty plates then turns away.

I need to get out of here, try to forget this burning feeling of disappointment, get some fucking air. Only I'm not even at the door when she calls out to me, stops me dead in my tracks.

"Hey, Tim."

"Yeah?"

"You gonna be around on Friday? I'll be in Jay's, about six, so maybe you could come find me there—that is, if you really do want to see me again."

* * *

A/N: As always, thanks for reading :) ...so what do you think of it so far?


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

_Friday evening._

Shaking a smoke from the near empty pack, I spark up my lighter then take a long drag on the cigarette. I'm not exactly in any hurry to go inside, still don't feel convinced that this is a good idea. Except I got the feeling that this was some one time only offer, that if I don't show up then she'll likely never even speak to me again—and I'm not entirely sure I'd be happy with that outcome either.

Six fifteen. Guess if I'm gonna do this I can't put it off much longer.

Strolling inside and hoping I look a whole lot calmer than I'm feeling right now, it doesn't take me no time at all to spot Leigh with a few of her friends. Only she doesn't notice me, is caught up with Mathews. He's resting one hand on her shoulder, waving the other in some elaborate gesture, their heads close together while he talks and she laughs. That is until Sylvia catches sight of me and just leans in interrupting them, her expression serious, while she says something to Leigh. Whatever Sylvia says doesn't seem to bother Leigh though. Instead she's shaking off Two-Bit as she waves at me and I don't know that I can remember the last time anyone looked quite that happy to see me.

"Hi, Tim."

"Evening, Leigh."

There's a few mumbled greetings as her friends half-heartedly shift back a little, make some show of giving us some room, pretending like they're not the slightest bit interested in me turning up here to meet her.

"Didn't think you were actually gonna show up."

"Well, I haven't turned down anything you've suggested to me so far, have I?"

She looks away, bites her lip that way she does, as the colour rises up her face. It kind of amuses me to see her blush so bad, but now ain't the time for half measures. If everyone's gonna be watching us then I might as well give them something to really fucking talk about, and with that in mind I slip my arms around her then kiss her long and slow, before suggesting we move to a nearby empty booth. Pretty soon we're ordering drinks, and she's smiling and talking, telling me about whatever she's been doing earlier today, and for now I'm happy enough to listen, am starting to relax—at least until the time when she turns the conversation back to me.

"So what've you been doing? I heard you've been having a busy week?"

For a split second I get a real tight feeling in my chest, hope to hell she hasn't heard about me and that broad the other night, before telling myself that she wouldn't be here and definitely wouldn't be this friendly if she had. But even so it ain't until that couple of seconds later when she leans forward ever so slightly, and her fingertips gently brush across the bruises on my jaw before coming to rest on the back of my hand, that I realise what she's getting at and I let out the breath I didn't realise I'd been holding.

"Yeah, it's been pretty crazy. Just had some crap to sort out."

"You're okay though? Didn't get hurt too bad?" She don't take her hand away, traces her fingers gently across my scabbed knuckles instead, and I'm finding it real hard to concentrate, the only thought in my mind right now is how soon I can suggest we go someplace away from here, away from all these people, just the two of us.

"Nah, I'm fine. Can't say the same for the other guy but it ain't no big deal, nothing you need to worry about." I shrug away her concern, 'cause really it ain't nothing that unusual for me.

"I guess, so long as you're alright."

"Yeah, honestly, it's nothing. So what's with you and Mathews?"

"What do you mean?"

"The two of you seemed real friendly earlier, when I got here."

"Hell, that's probably because we are friends." She raises her eyebrows, smiles like she's trying not to laugh at me. So much for me playing it smooth, seems I've managed to make myself sound like some jealous fucking asshole just 'cause she was talking to the guy. "You do know he lives right across the street from me don't you? I've known him since...Oh I don't know, just since forever. Besides, I thought everyone knows he likes his girls more...um—"

"Blonde?" I suggest, catching a glimpse of Mathews at a nearby table with some bottle-blonde perched on his knee.

"Well yeah I guess." She shrugs a little. "I mean I was gonna say more stacked, but yeah I suppose blonde works too." And she's really laughing now, me as well, 'cause thinking back to any one of the girls I've ever seen Mathews with it's obvious she's right, he sure does have a type.

It takes a few seconds, but she composes herself and leans a little further across the table, her voice low so that only I can hear, "Besides, I kind of thought we'd already established that I got better taste in guys than to go for someone like Keith?"

Jesus. Well I guess there's only one thing I can think of to say to that. "You want to get out of here, go someplace else, just the two of us?"

"Yeah, that'd be real good." And she's on her feet already. "I was beginning to think you were never going to ask."

xxxxxx

Driving about a while, we finally end up parked up in a quiet spot, kind of place a lot of people come to hang around when they got the same thing as we have on their minds. And it ain't long before things are getting pretty heavy between us. Only the idea of settling for some quick fumble in the car feels a bit second best, a step backwards after last weekend.

"Any chance your place is empty tonight?" I murmur, sliding my hand a little further under her top as my lips trail across her collarbone. Only she shakes her head.

"No, sorry, he's home today."

I ain't all that keen to take her to no place like Buck's, don't need to be giving other guys ideas about her. So I guess that only really leaves us one option. There shouldn't be no interruptions, Curly and Ange ain't likely to be home yet. Ma should be out of it on her sleepers by now, and Harry, well there hasn't been a Friday since Ma met him that hasn't spent propping up a bar somewhere.

"Do you wanna come back to mine instead?"

xxxxxx

Even though it's nearly midnight by the time I'm taking her home, it still seems like the time's gone too fucking quick.

Stopping at the end of the street, she don't exactly seem to be in no hurry to go yet either. But this time around I ain't gonna risk leaving anything to chance.

"'You want to do something tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, that'd be real good."

And we spend a few more minutes talking about when and where, and I'm kind of wishing she didn't have to go nowhere right now as she kisses me one last time then steps away, before she abruptly changes her mind and turns back to look at me.

"Um, about tomorrow, Tim."

"Yeah?"

"It's just that I got one condition about that."

"Which is?"

"Well, the thing is, if do you want to keep seeing me then I want to be the only girl you're going with. I don't just want to be one off of a long list."

"Hell, Leigh…I…"

For once words fail me, 'cause that sure ain't what I was expecting her to say, and I guess my expression makes that obvious as I stand here struggling to speak. Apparently I'm an idiot for thinking anything stays secret for long in this neighbourhood, and knowing that she knows makes me feel a real jerk right now, even though it wasn't like I'd made her any promises before.

"Just think about it alright?" She shrugs, then turns towards her house again.

Only I don't want to leave it like this, pull myself together as I realise I'm willing to tell her whatever the hell she wants to hear from me if it means we get to do this again.

"Hey, Leigh." A smile on my face as I gather her back in my arms, close to me.

"Yeah?"

"Reckon I could live with that deal."

xxxxxx

By the time I get back home again Curly's waiting on the front step, practically pounces on me when he sees me, the words spilling from his mouth nineteen to the dozen.

"Fuck's sake, Tim, where the hell you been tonight? I been searching everywhere for you."

"Out. Not that it's any of your business. Why? What's so damn important that it can't wait?"

And Curly carries on speaking so fast that I can barely understand a word he's saying, although from what I can pick up from his garbled story it clearly ain't nothing good. "Hour ago… Jimmy Fry…switchblade… message from Myers."

"Slow down, Curly, get inside the damn house and then start over again from the beginning."

By the time he's finished talking my day's most definitely taken a turn for the worse.

Guess it must be true what people say, there really is some kind of law that if one part of your life starts going too good then everything else goes straight to hell.

* * *

A/N: Thank you everybody for reading, I'd love to hear what you think of it so far :)


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks for reading :) As always, a fair bit of swearing in the chapter, although I think there's maybe a little more than usual in this one...

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE**

**JUNE 1965.**

_Tuesday night._

"He's where?"

I listen to the voice on the other end the line, try not to interrupt, know it's pointless asking too many questions right now.

"Yeah okay, I'm on my way."

The last two months have been busy, to say the least. Despite Myers' warning we carried on with the plan as agreed with Lewis. Even though the result of that has been wave after wave of comeback and it feels like every couple of fucking days there's yet another thing for me to deal with. Guys have been jumped, cars trashed. Then there's the properties hit all over my territory and this past couple of weeks it seems he's even sunk so low as making phoney tip offs to the cops.

Not that we're taking any of their shit lying down, still been giving as good as we get. But right now I can't exactly see how or when this is going to end—not without one of us getting taken out for good anyway.

And after hearing this latest piece of news it feels like it has finally come pretty damn close to that tonight.

Heading along the busy corridor, I know I'm in the right place the minute I spot Sylvia up ahead. As soon as she sees me she's up on her feet, don't waste no time telling me exactly what she thinks, jabbing at me with her hand while she lays into me, calling me every name under the sun she can think of, and even though I know she's probably just scared, a little in shock, it ain't easy to stand here and take it; find myself getting more and more wound up the more she goes on.

"Jesus you've got a damn nerve, Tim, turning up here."

"I'm only here to find out how he is, what the hell happened."

"Convenient that none of this shit ever seems to come back on you, ain't it though? They really done a good job on him, and you know what, it's all on you. You don't do nothing but use people, Tim Shepard."

"Well you would know, 'cause according to what everyone around town is saying, you're the expert at that."

"Fuck you, Tim."

"No thanks, darling, you sure as hell ain't my type."

And suddenly the left side of my face is smarting from her blow as I try not to rock back on my heels or let her know it bothered me. "Reckon you need to be a bit more careful, Sylv."

"Or what? We both know you're all talk and that there ain't nothing you're gonna do to me."

"Just shut it, Sylvia," I snap, frustrated at the pointlessness of all this time wasting. "I came here to see your brother, not listen to you bitching all fucking night. So why don't you just tell me how he's doing?"

Through the half open door across the hallway I catch a glimpse of their mother and Judith fussing round the bed, see enough to know that Sylvia isn't exaggerating for once, that Nick really is in bad shape.

"Go ask him yourself. I got nothing more to say to you, asshole."

Slipping into the room, I take in the machines, the drips, and the person who's barely even recognisable as Nick anymore.

"Evening, Nick. What the hell?"

"Tim." He pauses, looks towards the two women. "Say, can you give us a minute?"

"Sure, baby," Judith whispers, kissing him, before giving me a look icy enough to match Sylvia's as the pair of them walk out the room.

He shifts a little, winces. "How about you shut the door for a minute, Tim?"

"Sure." Doing as he asks I drag up the chair closer to the bed. "So what the hell happened to you?"

"Myers got the jump on me. Both of them, and Jimmy Fry as well. Had no fucking chance against the three of them."

"Jesus."

"Yeah. I was just fucking lucky some cars pulled in the parking lot, couple of guys heard the noise and come to see what was going on, frightened them off before they could finish the job."

"What's the damage?"

"Broken arm, cracked ribs, docs said I'm lucky to still be seeing out this eye the amount they beat on me. Bastards kept fucking kicking me even after I couldn't do no more. Although I guess that was their intention—do as much damage as possible."

"You think they would have taken it any further then?"

"Definitely, pretty much said as much. Didn't think I was getting out of there."

"Fuck's sake. Reckon they're getting desperate though if Myers is doing this himself. I'll fix it, won't let them get away with this."

"Listen, Tim..." The room is silent for what feels like an age before Nick gathers himself. "I don't know that I can keep doing this."

"What d'you mean?" Now he's started to speak, I sure as hell wish he hadn't, got a feeling I know where this is heading, really don't want to deal with what I think is coming on top of everything else.

Nick looks away, his expression pained, as he starts speaking again, his words slow and deliberate, and although he's clearly a mess and looks exhausted, I get the feeling that it's not just because of the pain or the medication.

"I mean I can't be part of no gang. Hell, I'm getting too old for this shit. I've been pulled in and questioned over nothing a few times lately, and we both know it's only 'cause of the crap the King's been pulling. I'll be lucky to keep my job as it is, the amount of time I'm gonna have to take off with a broken fucking arm, and there ain't no way Judith will wait around for me if I get jailed."

"You ain't getting sent down for nothing, you know Myers is just trying to freak you out."

"Well it's fucking working. Sooner or later there'll be something where I can't account for what I been doing and you know as well as I do the cops won't care if I actually done it or not, not with my juvenile record counting against me. And hell, what happens the next time they decide to jump me? They gonna knife me? Shoot me? Don't know that I feel lucky enough to get away twice."

"Damn it, Nick, are you sure? It ain't just the medication or shock or something?"

He shakes his head as best he can. "Nah, been thinking about it a while now. This has just made my mind up for me. Look, I know you're no fool—but have you even thought about what happens next, if this crap ever gets settled?"

Nick's always been the most reliable, and more than that he's been a damn good friend over the years. Yet still I can't let it go, admit that I understand why he's doing it. Instead, I'm on my feet, heading for the door, 'cause I suppose if he isn't with me on this then he might as well be against me, and my mind is already working overtime on how I can deal with this and hold everything else together, make sure I keep the rest the guys with me once word gets out.

"Been good working with you Nick, I'll see you around sometime." I'm really trying to keep my voice even, like it don't really bother me, before I walk out without a backwards glance.

"Yeah, see you around, Tim."

xxxxxx

_Wednesday afternoon._

Driving pointlessly around town I find myself wishing I could just go find Leigh.

Truth be told I'm probably as surprised as anyone that I'm still with her, but she has a real knack for being able to make me forget all the other shit going on, like the only thing that matters is whatever the hell we're doing, right there at that moment. It ain't that she's not interested in my life, more that she don't ever push me to tell her more than I want to share, gives me space to breath. So I guess that's why, all these weeks later I've been true to my word, haven't so much as looked at another girl—well that and the fact she's real damn good to be with.

Except she won't be around 'til later. Guess I got spoilt that first couple of weeks after school was out before she got a real job, when she just picked up a couple of extra shifts in the diner or helped her old man out and still had whole days left over to devote just to me. Days that we spent out at the lake or hanging around town together. Or those real good days when we barely made it out her bedroom all day. Days where I could forget the business of being Tim Shepard, could just be some guy hanging around with his girl, for a few hours at least.

Still got a couple more hours left to kill though, so I decide it's about time I do one useful thing with my day, take a left and pull up outside the bar where I'm pretty sure he's going to be, stroll in through the door as casually as I can manage, knowing I look every bit the part of the hard as nails gang leader people expect me to be.

"Two beers."

Dropping some cash on the bar, I grab the bottles and head over to the table in the corner, sit opposite Chris Lewis, and place one of the beers in front of him.

"Shepard. Guess you're after something, being as you're here buying me a drink and all."

"So how's it going, Lewis? Getting pissed off with Myers yet? Reckon we need to do something about him once and for all, don't you?"

"Most likely. Didn't think he had the attention span or the resources to carry it on this long, but he don't seem like he's got any intention of quitting yet. Heard the news about Miller getting taken out. He gonna be out of action a while?"

"Yeah, seems that way." I got no intention of letting him in on my talk with Nick; don't need him to think I'm losing control. We might not be enemies, but we ain't exactly friends either, and I know better than to trust anyone with too much information. "So anyway, Lewis, I been thinking and I've got a suggestion on how we can settle this once and for all."


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

_Wednesday evening._

"So are you gonna ask me in or have we got to stand out here all night entertaining the neighbours?"

Leigh sighs a little and I can't help but notice her less than welcoming attitude. How she leans back just a tiny amount, so it's barely noticeable, then places her hands on my arms forcing a little more distance between us as she speaks.

"Tim—"

"There some problem? Only I thought you'd be a little happier." I know I sound pissed, like some fucking whiney little kid, only the fact she don't seem all that bothered after I been thinking all fucking day about getting here—on top of the shit last twenty-four hours I've had - ain't exactly doing nothing to cheer me up.

"No, course I'm pleased to see you." She slips her arms up round my neck, kisses me real quick. "It's just tha—"

"Leigh, honey, you alright out there?" His voice echoes across the hall, cutting through her words.

"Yeah, everything's fine!" She calls out before quickly stepping back away from me.

"Hell, I figured he would still be working." Guess I haven't exactly been thinking straight today 'cause suddenly everything starts to fall into place—the sound of the television playing in the background rather than the radio like she prefers, the smell of cooking mixed with cigarette smoke in the hall—and it should have been blindingly obvious to me why she was so fucking tense.

She shakes her head. "He had to take the truck in the shop this afternoon so he came home early. You don't have to stay, there's no reason you have to meet him right now. Or at all. Not if you don't want to. I can come see you a bit later?"

Can't say I'm real keen on the idea of sticking around to meet her old man, but on the other hand me looking like I'm running scared is hardly going to impress her none either. But it don't really matter now 'cause Frank appears at her side then fixes me with a glare, before turning his attention back to Leigh, and it's too late to change my mind even if I want to.

"This a friend of yours?"

"Yeah, Dad, this is Tim. Remember, I told you about him?"

"Didn't know you were planning on going out tonight. Thought the idea was you tell me where you're going these days?"

"Well I guess I've been so busy at work that it slipped my mind to mention it." She grins at him, and he just smiles back, the harshness quickly disappearing from his face, and he doesn't start yelling at her or nothing. Guess she was telling the truth after all when she said they'd struck some new deal now she's done with school. "You don't really mind do you? Your dinner's all fixed ready for you and everything?"

"No. But remember you got to work tomorrow. You don't need to be getting in trouble when you only just started there, so don't be late home."

"Yeah, dad. I know."

"Well, go get yourself ready then, give me and this boy a chance to get better acquainted."

For a second she hesitates, looks between the two of us, before nodding. "Yeah, okay. I won't be long." Then she leans in, speaks softly to him so I can barely make out her words, "Just be nice, okay? Please?"

For a couple of seconds we stand there, each getting the measure of the other, until Frank crosses the room, snaps the dial on the television to 'off' and settles himself in the armchair before gesturing for me to sit on the couch.

He's the same colouring as Leigh, dark blonde hair and deep blue eyes, but that's where any similarity ends. 'Cause while she's maybe five two on a good day Frank's a little taller than me and considerably heavier set, the build you'd expect of a heavyweight boxer. Guess Leigh wasn't exaggerating when she said he'd been a pretty good fighter in the past, 'cause seeing him up close I don't know that I'd fancy my chances even now, despite the fact he's got to be more than twice my age.

He don't waste no time, launches in to a hundred different questions—asking what I do, where I work, about my family, where we live, and as I try to answer I find myself wondering if I smell like the inside of that dive bar, or if he can tell I've been drinking, wish to God I'd only had that one beer with Lewis, not the three it turned into.

"So what do your parents do?"

"Ma mostly stays home, she ain't exactly well enough to work these days, Harry works out the lumber yard."

"Your father?"

"No. Harry Locke, he married my mother a few years back. Suppose that makes him my stepfather."

"Hmm," and his lack of any further comment says it all, I guess he probably knows all about Harry Locke and his all-round reputation as the biggest waste of space to have ever come out of Texas. "You still live there then? Don't you work?"

"Yeah, I've got some work, labouring mostly. Got a brother and sister still in school, guess they're why I stick around."

Glancing across the room in the direction Leigh disappeared to, I really hope she don't take too much longer, 'cause right now I reckon I'd prefer to be in some fight against every single one of the fucking River Kings rather than sat here wondering what the hell he's going to ask me next.

Sitting back, Frank lights a cigarette, looks me over once again and even before he says anything more I'm pretty certain that he don't think I'm anywhere near good enough for her. 'Cause despite him looking for all the world like he's real relaxed and we're just having some friendly chat, he don't once look away as he speaks to me.

"Well, I won't beat around the bush. I reckon you're smart enough to know you ain't who I'd choose for her to be wasting her time with. But here's the deal, because while she still lives in my house it's by my rules. You treat her right and you won't have to worry about me. Step out of line just once though..."

Jesus. If this is him being nice like Leigh asked then it's probably just as well he ain't aware of exactly how well I already know his daughter.

xxxxxx

Seems like I cannot catch a fucking break anywhere today.

I'm already regretting not chancing taking her back to my place, 'cause The Dingo is horribly busy for this part of week and to top it all off we don't even make it inside the building before Ryan and Danny catch up to me.

They've heard what's happened to Nick and want to know what the hell's going on right now, despite the fact we got a meet up planned for later tonight. Only I don't need her to hear too much of this, suggest she goes on ahead while I take the opportunity to smooth things over, calm their nerves, tell them as much as they need to know for the time being about the plans I got to fix this mess, reassure them that I'll tell them everything later like we arranged.

It takes me at least ten minutes to get away from them though, and once I get inside I can't see Leigh anywhere. Scanning the crowd again I eventually spot her standing near the back the room with a bunch of middle class kids, some boy next to her talking a mile a minute while she just stands and listens for what seems like forever.

I'm at the point of heading over when she looks up and sees me, says her goodbyes. But I don't miss the fact that while she's crossing the room back to me, he's still standing there checking her out, hands in his pockets and grinning to himself, and I'm so fucking tempted to go punch that smug smirk right off his face.

"Everything okay with the guys?" Leigh asks, sliding into the seat opposite and picking the menu up, glancing quickly over it.

"Yeah, fine."

"You know what you want or do you need to look at this?"

"Who was that?"

"Who was what? You going to eat as well?" She asks, holding the menu out to me.

"Not right now. I asked you a question, Leigh. Who the fuck was that jerk?"

Her head snaps up, her brow furrowed as she studies me, the menu clattering out of her hand onto the table top. "It was only Donny."

"Donny? You two real fucking friendly then?"

"Not really. He used to be in my English class. I went to the restroom, bumped into them on my way back and he was just asking me how things were going since we left school. There's nothing more to it than that."

"Yeah right. Not for you, maybe."

"What exactly is your problem? Am I not supposed to speak to any other guys? Or is it that you just don't trust me?"

"Yeah, course I trust you, but—"

"Then it's not an issue. Because it doesn't matter what you think other people are doing so long as you believe that I'm not a cheat."

"But—"

"No, Tim, just listen to me. I am here. With you. Don't want to be with anyone else, so let it go, alright? And in future how about you don't talk to me that way? You want to know something, then just ask me without all the damn drama."

She sits back, arms folded, while I try to push my anger away, concentrate on the fact she's sat here, telling me she only wants me. That by the end of the week things will be sorted one way or the other with Myers. That I'm only being unreasonable and blowing everything out of proportion because I'm tired and stressed about everything else that's been going on.

"Hell, I'm sorry. I ain't really mad at you."

"Yeah? So what's really bothering you? You've been irritable all night, Tim, and it's not just about meeting Frank or me talking to some guy from school is it?"

I shrug, try to convince us both it's nothing. "Guess that didn't help, I'm pretty sure your old man don't like me none."

She smiles at me. "Well course not. Wouldn't matter who you were, he still wouldn't like it. Just trust me that if he really didn't like you then there's no way on earth we'd be sat here together right now. So what's really bothering you?"

"It's nothing."

"Really?" She just watches me, waiting for me to go on 'cause I ain't fooling her; she knows there's more going on than I'm admitting to.

"I've been having a few issues this week and to top it off Nick and me ain't exactly speaking, guess I'm still a little pissed off about it."

"It'll be ok if you both take some time to calm down. You two have been friends a long time."

"Yeah, but this, it's different, he don't want to be involved in nothing no more."

She sighs, looks at me like she's deliberating about what to say, her hand on mine as she finally speaks, her voice soft, her question still taking me a little by surprise though.

"You ever think he might be right? That it's not worth all the grief?"

"No."

"Honestly?"

"Honest. Anyway, I can't rely on anyone else to look out for Curly and Angela, and there's not exactly much else I got the skills for. So at the end the day it ain't like I've got any option is it?"

xxxxxx

It's an hour later that we're leaving, when I see that same guy with a couple of his friends is still hanging around just outside the door.

"Good seeing you again, Leigh." He says, smirking at me.

"Yeah bye, Donny." Her hand grips mine just a little tighter. I know she don't want no trouble—even make it half way back to the car before I change my mind and decide I ain't prepared to let it slide after all, offer her the keys and a lame excuse that ain't fooling no one.

"Hey, think I forgot my smokes, why don't you go wait in the car while I get them?"

"Tim—"

"Just wait in the car, I won't be long."

"Yeah, okay."

I know that she don't believe me, but right now I don't care and the car is far enough round the corner she won't be able to see what I'm doing anyway. And before I can talk myself out of it I'm back outside the front The Dingo, stepping out in front of him, catching him with a cross to the face that he don't see coming, causing him to stumble back against a car.

"What the hell?" He's wiping the blood away with his sleeve, pinching his nose with the other hand.

"You fucking need to be a little more respectful. Do it again and next time it won't just be a broken nose."

"Jesus, Shepard, you're some fucking crazy bastard."

He straightens himself a little then pushes himself away from the car and goes to walk away, like he thinks we're done here, 'cause it's pretty obvious none of his buddies are prepared to step up and help him out, take me on.

"Yeah, reckon I am. Maybe you should remember that, Donny, next time you even think about looking at my girl."

I catch him with another punch, to the stomach this time, so he doubles over down on his knees now, while I stroll back to the car with a smirk on my face.

I'm finally feeling a little more like myself, a little more in control and I can feel the tension of the last couple of days slowly starting to lift. Reckon everything is gonna work out alright after all.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing :)

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**JULY 1965.**

_Friday night._

The meeting's set for eight.

Not Buck's 'cause that's too much mine, too popular with Brumly as well.

Definitely not Murphy's, 'cause there's no way I'm walking into the heart of the King's territory.

Which leaves that bar across from the boxing club as the only compromise we're both happy with.

So now it's five to and I'm strolling towards the building, hands in pockets, looking every inch the untouchable gang leader without a care in the world while Ryan and Curly follow on behind. I'm not exactly thrilled to have either of them here, wish Curly could just stay quiet, end up snapping at him to shut the fuck up before we get inside.

It would have been so much easier with Miller 'cause Nick always knew the score of things without having to be told all the fucking time. But Ryan's been around the longest out of all the guys I got left and I can't exactly show up alone, so having them here for back up is about as good as it gets right now.

It takes a second or two for my eyes to acclimatise to the gloom of the dingy smoke filled room, but when they do I'm not surprised Wayne is already there. Or that his brother is nearby, watching Jimmy Fry and some other guy play pool out the back.

Myers."

"Shepard, take a seat."

Ryan and Curly keep on walking, stop over at the bar while Wayne gestures to the girl behind the counter to bring us over some drinks.

Only she doesn't head this way. Instead it's the other bartender who brings them over, slamming the glasses roughly on the table as he speaks, "Don't know what you two got going on in here tonight, and I sure as hell don't want to know either. But any trouble, then you take it outside. Understand?"

He don't hang around for an answer, heads back behind the bar where he watches from a distance, scowling as he lines up a row of glasses, but he ain't someone to mess with, got a reputation for being a badass who don't stand for no crap from anyone in his bar, no matter who they are.

"So are we going to settle this bad blood between us, Myers? It's all getting a little old."

"What happened to Lewis? You not helping him out any more then, Tim? Decided you had enough of him telling you what to do all the time?"

I shrug, know he's trying to needle me. But really, it suits me just fine that he carries on under the misguided impression that there are issues between us and Brumly or that I can't rely on Lewis for support no more.

"Simply doing what's best for my own interests, and that means I don't want to waste any more of my time on you. So we gonna put this behind us and come to some arrangement?"

He picks up his glass, cradles it in his hand then waits a while before he answers. "Well I don't know. I mean you seem pretty keen to do this, so maybe if I leave things going as they are for a couple more weeks there won't be no Shepard gang left for me to worry about anyway?"

"Wouldn't count on it. Don't mean we're running scared just 'cause you put Miller out of action for a while. But it does seem a waste of time and energy to be fighting each other when we could both be out there making some cash instead."

"A good point."

"So how about we get on with this and come to some agreement we're both happy with?" As soon as I say it I know it's a mistake, realise I've pushed a little too hard on this 'cause I sound a whole lot more desperate to settle this than I intended and Wayne's no idiot, seizes on the opportunity to try to wind me up a little more.

"Why's that? Got somewhere else you'd rather be then, Shepard?"

"No, got all night if I need it." I lean back in the seat, try to look like I got all the time in the world.

"Yeah? That ain't what I heard. Rumour is you're going soft, spending all your time chasing round after O'Connell's girl instead of concentrating on business these days."

Wayne sits back, an amused smile on his face and I'm glad of the momentary distraction when the girl comes over from the bar and leans in to collect the empties in front of us.

"Cheers, darling." I smirk, making a point of checking her out as she replaces them with two full glasses because I don't need him thinking Leigh's some easy way to get to me or any more important than any other girl I might have been with. "Look, Wayne, do you want to sort this shit out or waste all my time talking about some broad I been doing? 'Cause personally I reckon sorting this business might be a little more useful to the both of us than listening to your opinions on who I happen to be sleeping with this week."

"Yeah, yeah. So what exactly is it that you're proposing then, Shepard?"

But before I can elaborate there's a crash of furniture, as Pete launches himself at Curly causing my brother to stumble into the bar stools, and an angry voice to yell out from behind the bar.

"I fucking told you no trouble! Get them two out of here now!"

xxxxxx

Finally I'm actually getting to enjoy a drink in relative peace, relieved to be back here with only a black eye, a few new bruises and sore knuckles to show for the evening. The black eye from Pete when I stepped in to separate them, the bruises courtesy of Wayne in exchange for me knocking down his brother, and finally the sore knuckles from the explaining I had to do to Curly after we left. Making him understand that he'd very nearly fucked up the whole thing, and that I don't care what the hell Pete had been saying about him or me, or even about Leigh and Angela, because he ought to damn well know better than to let himself get drawn into a fight like that.

Somehow though it wasn't a complete disaster, still managed to salvage something out of the evening and thrash out a truce with Myers once it had all calmed down again. The upshot of it is that the River Kings will stay out of my streets, keep their business elsewhere, while I'll leave them alone to sell their shit undisturbed in their own part of town. I'm not entirely sure I trust the deal, or Myers, because it all went a little too smoothly and felt like Wayne agreed to it all a bit too easily. But it should hold - for now - and at least a few weeks peace will give me a chance to concentrate on rebuilding the gang and making some money at last.

"Winston." I nod in Dallas' direction as he strolls over and leans on the bar next to me, tapping the surface impatiently while he waits to be served.

"Evening, Shepard, so how's things?"

Looks like my peace and quiet is going to be short lived.

"Pretty damn good."

"Yeah? That ain't what I heard, rumour has it that you got ditched."

"What the hell you talking about?" I mutter, glaring at him while wondering what the fuck he's talking about, as a hundred different possibilities race through my mind. Find myself wondering what he's heard from Sylvia, whether Frank's pushing Leigh to dump me now he's actually met me, or if she's more pissed at me than she let on over what I done to that kid the other night.

"Yeah, heard Miller finally wised up and binned your outfit." Dallas watches me for a few seconds before he flat out fucking laughs at me. "Damn, you thought I meant your girl didn't you?"

"Fuck off, Dallas." I turn my attention back to my drink and light another cigarette, hoping that Dallas will get bored and get lost if he doesn't get any more reaction out of me. Or at the very least shut up.

But he doesn't go anywhere, hangs about chatting to Buck before starting up at me again a couple of minutes later.

"Come on, Tim, you got to be short-handed now, must be causing you all sorts of headaches if you're left with them other clowns. Got to be when Curly's about the cleverest of the bunch."

"What are you getting at, Dallas?"

"Well, if you're in need of an extra pair of hands—casual like, I ain't prepared to be part of no Shepard gang or nothing—then maybe it could work out to our mutual advantage?"

Jesus. Reduced to having to consider working with Dallas Winston.

He can be alright to hang around with at times and is definitely tough enough, but he has never been good with other people, has always been too easily provoked. But then on the other hand we really are one short now for the next job I've been planning, plus I know how Dallas operates so I should be able to keep him in line, short term at least.

Weighing up the pros and cons, I hope I'm not making a terrible decision.

"Yeah, okay, one job, Sunday night—see how it goes. Then maybe if you're any good, don't fuck it all up, I might be able to push some more work your way."

xxxxxx

_Wednesday night._

We're in the process of pulling the second job of my current scheme. The first went pretty well because all the holiday crap going on kept most everyone in that part of town busy and out of our way. And Dallas didn't manage to screw things up or cause me no trouble.

So I've included him again tonight, paired him with Ryan, thinking he'd be a better, calmer influence than either Curly or the equally hot-headed Danny. Which turns out to be my first mistake. Or maybe the second, if you count involving Dallas Winston another time.

Waiting in the car at the end of the dark service alley, I can't help thinking that something is definitely off. The guys ought to be out by now; it shouldn't be taking them this long. Counting the seconds, I drum my fingers impatiently on the steering wheel before glancing at my watch, again.

What in hell is taking them so long?

And then I hear it. Footsteps and raised voices. Spot Curly and Danny emerging from the shadows, heading for the car with some of the goods.

Jesus they all know better than to make this much noise.

Peering through the car window into the gloom behind the buildings, I'm trying to figure out exactly what is going on while fighting the urge to get out the car and go see for myself what the problem is. Finally, less than a minute later, Curly leaps into the back of the car having dropped the gear he was carrying into the trunk.

"Where're the others? What the fuck is going on, Curly?" I snap, turning the key in the ignition and putting the car in gear, ready to leave.

"It's Dally, he's gone nuts at Ryan. The pair of them have been bitching at each other all night like a pair of girls. Now it seems they're gonna beat the shit out of each other right here."

"Fucking idiots, we don't have time for this. You get the gear?"

"Yeah, as much as we could carry, them two were meant to bring the rest."

"Well, we can't wait all fucking night."

The trunk slams shut as Danny also reaches the car, sounding out of breath as he drags open the passenger door. "You're gonna have to leave them, Tim. I tried getting Ryan out of there but he's having none of it, wouldn't listen to me, told me he didn't care, and you know what Dally's like. Pretty sure someone up in them apartments behind has heard 'em and probably called the cops already."

"We'll wait a couple more minutes, soon as we hear a siren we're out of here though," I reply, trying to be calm while waiting for the inevitable wail of police sirens in the distance.

xxxxxx

_Friday evening._

"Jesus, Tim Shepard, you really fucked things up this time, didn't you?" yells Sylvia as she appears out of nowhere in front of us.

"What's the matter, Sylv?" Leigh asks, looking bemused.

"Sorry, but someone needs to tell your boyfriend how it is. Dallas got arrested, he's getting sent back to the reformatory, probably get a couple months at least this time. All down to you – ain't it, Tim?"

She's standing there on the sidewalk, with her arms folded, glaring at me, like she's daring me to disagree with her.

"Ain't my fault he can't concentrate on one thing long enough to stop himself getting into trouble. He shouldn't have been fighting with Ryan so it's his own damn problem. Way I hear it they were too busy getting into it bitching over the broads they been seeing, both of them been having a thing with Anita Thomas apparently. So it's probably done you a favour him getting locked up before he dumps you again."

"Shut it, Tim, that's the biggest load of bullshit I heard all year."

"You sure about that, darling? Know where Dallas spent last Monday night, or Tuesday night do you? 'Cause he sure as hell wasn't with you, was he?"

"God, you really are a fucking bastard."

It surprises me that Sylvia leaves it at that, no more bitchy comebacks, just turns and walks away.

"Sylv, wait." Leigh starts to follow her, catches her by the arm and stops her a few feet away. "Take care, alright? I'm sorry about Dally."

"Yeah? Not that sorry 'cause you're still going to waste your time with that loser aren't you? Not sure that I want to know you if you're gonna be with him. I mean first Nick gets hurt so bad that he's in the hospital, then this with Dallas getting locked up. He thinks he's so tough but Tim Shepard ain't nothing but a pathetic jerk who lets everyone else take the fall for him."

"Sylvia, it's not—"

"No. Don't you dare defend him and tell me it ain't his fault. He's bad fucking news, you have to be able to see that. I got to go. Guess I'll maybe see you around some time, Leigh."

And Leigh stands there speechless for a few seconds watching as her friend storms away, before she turns back to me, looking completely confused.

"What on earth's been going on?"

"Nothing."

Slipping my arm around her we begin to head across the street, back towards the car; but she ain't happy, bites her lip and frowns some before challenging me on it again.

"Nothing, Tim? Really? Sure seemed like it was a big deal to Sylvia."

"Like I said, this isn't anything you need to be concerned with. You know how she is about Winston; she can't ever see him for what he really is no matter what he does to her. Give her a couple of days and she'll be fine, like nothing's happened."

And then I resort to doing the only thing I can think of to distract her, pull her close to me and kiss her some, make it clear exactly what I'd like to be doing for the rest of our evening once we get back to mine. And I guess it must do the trick and take her mind off things, 'cause she don't mention it again the rest of the night.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

_Monday evening._

I am so bored.

Sitting back in the chair, my feet resting on the corner of the desk, I watch her while she works; glance up at the clock, then reach for another cigarette.

Smoke that down to the filter but she's still preoccupied. Remember that was my last smoke and resort to flicking my lighter on and off, and finally get a reaction.

"Tim, quit it will you? That's not helping me get done any quicker you know."

Dragging the chair a little closer to her, I rest an arm across her shoulders, place my other hand on her thigh while glancing down at what she's writing. She's been here even more than usual this past two or three weeks, picking up the slack on stuff that Frank used to handle himself, and it feels like we're forever hanging around this damn office.

"What are you doing anyway?"

"Membership fees. Checking who's paid and making sure they're up to date for the month, make sure none of them are getting behind or ripping him off."

"So how much longer will you be? If you're going to be a while then maybe it's time you took a break?"

And I'm kissing her now, hands roaming under the straps of her dress.

"Tim, don't...," she whispers, though she don't exactly sound like she means it. "What if he—"

"He ain't gonna come in here, he's too busy," I murmur between kisses as she lets me carry on a little longer before interrupting me again.

"No but someone else might, and they're all worse than a bunch of girls for gossiping, and I sure don't need anyone telling tales on me. He's just about alright with you coming down here now so I kind of want to keep it that way. So how about you give me another twenty minutes, go over the store and buy some more cigarettes or something? Then we can get out of here and I'll be all yours the rest of the night."

And she twists in the chair, kisses me real quick as she lifts my hands off of her, before turning her attention back on the papers in front of her.

"Yeah, yeah, alright." I straighten up, push the chair away again and head towards the office door while trying not to sound as annoyed as I'm feeling right now.

"Look, I'm sorry but we can always do something tomorrow as well, if you want to?"

"Yeah? You not seeing Sylvia this week then?"

Leigh just shrugs, does an almost convincing job of looking like she doesn't care that it's more than two weeks on and Sylv still won't barely give her the time of day. Except she won't meet my eye as she replies.

"No, guess she's too busy for me again this week."

xxxxxx

**August 1965.**

_Tuesday evening._

Yeah?"

Angela finally answers the phone, is probably only one of her friends anyway.

"Who wants to know?"

Maybe it's not for her after all.

"Which one?" There's another pause before she laughs a little. "Yeah he's home, want me to get him for you?" Another pause before she yells, "Tim! Phone!"

Jesus, I ain't expecting to hear from anyone, so my first thought is to wonder what the hell's gone wrong now.

The last month's been hard work what with Ryan being stuck in the reformatory, leaving just me, Danny and Curly. I've managed to recruit a couple of new guys, but it's always more difficult with people you don't know—or don't trust—all that much. Then to top it off Danny reckons he's seen some of the King's dealers edging back nearer to our territory last week. Not quite on my streets, but getting closer, so I'm pretty sure Wayne's got something bigger going on, that it won't be too long before I got to deal with them yet again.

So the upshot of it all is that is don't matter who's on the line 'cause it ain't likely to be no social call.

"Yeah?"

"Tim? It's only me."

On hearing her voice I soften my tone some, even though I doubt this is going to be good news either. No way she'd be ringing me an hour before we're supposed to be meeting just to say hello.

"There a problem? Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine; but I can't make it this evening after all. I'm real sorry."

"Again? How come this time?"

"Kind of got caught up over here with my dad. He's got a whole load more bills come in that need to be sorted, along with some overdue ones I thought he'd already dealt with, way more work than I expected there would be. Guess I'll probably be here the rest of the night 'til he's ready to go back home."

"So you ain't going to be around at all? Not even later? I could come pick you up there if you like?" Hell, I really don't like that I sound so fucking desperate.

"No, there probably wouldn't be any point, reckon it's going to take me ages to get this straight. He still won't tell me what's going on, says there's no problem, But I don't know, I'm just worried about him." I hear her sigh a little, and she sounds real tired. "Like I said, I'm real sorry, Tim. Look, please don't be mad at me, okay?"

"I ain't mad at you, Leigh, more...disappointed."

Disappointed 'cause this isn't the first time she's messed me around rearranging things lately and I don't care for this uneasy feeling in my gut that perhaps this thing between us has somehow become a whole lot more important to me than it is to her.

"Yeah, me too. Least if I can get it all sorted out tonight then I could still make it tomorrow or Thursday instead? No matter what, I promise I'll be there. Maybe I can make it up to you then?" she asks, sounding hopeful.

"Alright. I'll see you Thursday then, about seven. Go for a drink or something. You want me to pick you up or meet you over there?"

"I'll meet you there."

xxxxxx

_Thursday evening._

Just for a change there's some fight going on at home, makes my mind up for me to come over to Buck's now instead of waiting for closer to seven. But sitting alone and thinking about it all isn't improving my mood in the slightest, and even some of the guys turning up don't prove to be much of a distraction 'cause I'm still finding it hard to focus on anything other than all the fucking problems I've got.

A few beers later and it's already a little after seven.

Leigh should have been here by now, and it sets me wondering what is really going on with her. Says she wants to see me, arranges things. But then her actions don't exactly match up to her words, what with the last minute changes to plans every damn week.

Another half hour passes and the bar is finally starting to busy up.

Curly wanders in, followed by a group of Buck's cowboy friends, some guys wanting to play pool, then a few people I recognise out of Brumly.

Another ten minutes and I'm glancing up as the door swings open again. Some group of girls bustles in, a couple of them saying hello to me as they walk past, but still no sign of Leigh. I've finished another couple of beers, know I probably don't need another, end up ordering a whiskey from the bar instead as Simmonds crosses the room and lounges against the bar next to me.

"You know them, Shepard?"

"Yeah, kind of."

"You not interested in any of them?"

"Not especially."

"Why, you worried about your girl finding out? Never thought I'd see the day when you were bothered about what some broad might think."

"Fuck off. I'll do whatever the hell I please." Can't help but think that Simmonds really could do with a punch in the face right about now, needs putting in his place.

"Hey calm down, I'm only joking," he laughs, grinning towards the girls. "Guess I'll go try my luck."

He strolls away and I lean back against the bar while trying to occupy myself with my drink and listening in on Buck's conversation with his buddies along the bar.

I'm suddenly aware of someone standing real close to me.

"Hi, Tim," she says with a smile.

Nancy West. Hadn't noticed her come in.

"Evening, Nancy."

"So I haven't seen you around so much lately."

"Guess I've been kind of busy."

"But you're by yourself tonight?"

"Seems that way."

Checking the clock I realise with a start that it's already well after eight. Apparently Leigh's not exactly bothered about being here after all.

So much for her promises that she'd be here 'no matter what'.

"Yeah me too, do you want to have a drink with me or something?" Nancy asks, smiling up at me, her hand on my arm.

Maybe tying myself down to just one girl has been a mistake. At least that's what I tell myself in the split second it takes me to consider her offer.

"Yeah okay, darling."

Standing talking with her is a fair distraction from everything else and pretty soon I'm buying another round of drinks, ignoring that last lingering doubt in the back of my mind that this ain't such a hot idea.

'Cause I'm only standing here having a drink with her—kid myself that it don't mean nothing anyway, isn't exactly no big deal.

Passing her the glass, Nancy moves a little closer, plays with her hair as I speak, her hand on my arm while she nods and smiles and says all the right things. As we have yet another drink together I'm still enjoying the attention and it isn't long until I find myself with an arm around her, while she leans against me. And from then it's no time at all until I'm holding her closer and kissing her a whole lot more in the darkness of the crowded bar.

xxxxxx

Don't know how long we've been here, could have been a couple of minutes or a couple of hours, my attention completely focused on the girl in my arms and thoughts of how far I might get with her—until my brother's voice snaps me out of it.

"Jesus, Tim, thought you were supposed to be the fucking smart one." His voice is full of sarcasm, only when I glare across at him his expression ain't one of amusement, his face betraying what he truly thinks of me as he looks across the bar.

Sobers me up real quick though as I follow his gaze towards the rapidly closing door and realise what the hell he's seen to cause this interruption.

Seems there's only one of us who can't stay true to their word after all.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thanks everyone for reading- I had this next part ready so thought I might as well go ahead and post it up today. :)**

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**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

_Friday morning._

"Any that coffee left?"

I shrug in response; watch as Curly picks up the coffee pot, pours the dregs into his cup.

"You been up long?"

"A while." Which is just about the biggest understatement ever. Been here most the night.

Flinch a little as he scrapes the chair across the kitchen floor and sits opposite me. My head's not the best after all the drinking, or the fact that I barely slept.

Not after last night.

Last night that's been repeating on a constant loop in my head since I followed her out the building. That I find myself going over yet again as I sit here wishing my brother would just fuck off and leave me to torture myself a little more with how badly I've screwed up.

"_Wait up."_

_"Go away." _

_She don't look back at me, just carries on walking quick as she can across the parking lot of Buck's towards the street, so I take a few long strides and catch up to her, catch hold of her arm to stop her, turn her to me, wonder dimly why she's still wearing her work clothes now, why her eyes look red and sore like she's been crying long before she got here._

_"Leigh…Just listen to—"_

_"Christ, Tim, don't make me laugh." She snaps back, anything but amused. "I must be the biggest idiot ever thinking I actually meant something to you, that I could trust you. Probably been doing shit like that every damn time you were out someplace without me."_

_"No. There ain't ever been no one else."_

_"Until the one time I really needed you, needed to see you and have you tell me that everything would be alright. You do that. With her."_

"_Why? What the hell's happened?"_

"_Doesn't really matter now does it?" _

_And she don't elaborate, just falls back into uncomfortable silence as I find myself trying to justify what I done._

_"I thought you weren't going to turn up."_

_"Well that much is obvious."_

_"No, I mean I thought you were done with me or something. That you didn't want me no more. You've been changing things and cancelling them all the damn time lately."_

_"But I promised you I'd be here." _

_"Yeah, I know." And there's not a lot more I can say, 'cause I'm well aware that all the reasoning that had made so much sense to me only a short while ago just sounds fucking ridiculous now._

_"So the one time I'm late you don't think that maybe something might have happened to me or I'm sick or even just that I could have missed the damn bus home from work and be running late or nothing? You just decide I'm ditching you?"_

_She stares at me, waiting for me to answer, but I can't get the words out, just shrug as she continues to speak._

_"Do you really think that little of me that you believe I'd actually do something like that? Maybe you need to stop judging everyone else by your own low standards, Tim."_

_"Leigh, I'm sorry, I never meant for this to happen."_

_"Well maybe you should have thought about that earlier then?"_

_"So that's it—we're over?"_

_She sighs, her voice real quiet now and she don't sound angry any more, just resigned to the fact this has happened, and I don't know that this isn't worse, kind of wish she was still yelling at me. "Reckon you made that decision for the both of us, don't you? Told you at the start that I wasn't prepared to be one out of the many. Guess I should have listened to my friends about you after all."_

_Christ, nothing today has gone right and I'm feeling utterly out of my depth. Want to tell her that I'm sorry, but the words don't come out like that. Instead my frustration takes over and even though I know it's only going to make things worse I just can't seem to stop myself, want to make sure she's feeling as bad as I am right now._

_"Yeah? Well you're not entirely innocent in this sweetheart. You been messing me around for fucking weeks now. You really ain't nothing special, Leigh—you're no different to all the other easy broads round here, can't believe I wasted so much of my time on you."_

_"Well, looks like you've done us both a favour then, Tim. Least you won't have to bother to pretend to give a damn about me no more." _

_She's trying to push my hand off of her where I'm still gripping her arm while I'm vaguely aware of movement as someone from the group of guys across the lot who had turned to watch us is heading closer. _

_"Everything alright here, Leigh?" The all too familiar voice of Miller cuts across me as she looks round, can't miss how relieved she seems to see him standing there watching us over the roof of a car._

_"Yeah. I was just leaving is all."_

_He looks at her, at me, back to her, "How about you take your hands off of her then, Shepard?"_

_"Whatever." And even though it ain't exactly a surprise, I'm still disappointed that she takes that step back away from me so quick, raises her hand to rub the spot on her arm where I'd been holding her._

_"You okay?" Nick asks as he notices what she's doing, which is a fucking joke, 'cause he fucking knows me better than to think I'd actually hurt a girl like that. Least I hope to God I didn't hurt her, don't need to make this any worse than it already is._

_"Yeah. Just need to get home."_

_"Go get in the car, I'll take you now." He glares at me, like he's daring me to stop her or challenge him, as she nods and goes to open the car door._

_"Leigh, wait—"_

_"Not interested Tim, so why don't you fuck off back to her?" She points towards the building where Nancy's currently standing in the doorway. Christ, what the hell was I thinking earlier, thinking she was a good choice._

_I take a step closer to her "But—"_

_"I don't know what the hell's going on here—" Nick steps around the car towards me as I interrupt him._

_"So why don't you just fuck off and mind your own damn business, Miller?" _

_Pair of us have managed to rub along these past two months, getting by, mostly by pretending that the other ain't around, but not now. But I can't ignore him interfering in this, take a step in his direction, square up a little, figure he still can't be all that strong, can't be all that long since he got the cast off his arm, that he won't exactly be in a hurry for a fight. Only if that's true he hides it well as he watches me intently, like he's waiting for me to do something._

"_Get in the car, Leigh, I won't be long."_

_"Nick, please, he's not worth it..."_

"...Tim?"

"What?"

"I said what happened to your face? She didn't hit you did she?" Curly asks, evidently trying to supress a smile.

"Miller. Couldn't fucking stop himself from interfering, took me by surprise is all."

Another fucking broken nose. So much for me thinking he wouldn't start anything. Took me enough by surprise that they were already in the car by the time I realised what he'd done.

"So what the hell you gonna do now?"

Rub my forehead again, grab another couple aspirins and wash them down with the last of my coffee, wish this damn headache would fuck off too.

"Spend the day working on making some easy money. You want to skip school, give me a hand?"

"Yeah. But you know that ain't what I meant. You going to apologise, see if she'll have you back?"

Find myself considering going over there, trying to talk to her again.

Or maybe it would be best to forget the whole damn thing. 'Cause hell, I'm not exactly known for admitting when I'm wrong, plus there's plenty of other girls around and it ain't exactly like I've ever struggled to find someone before whenever I've wanted to. Probably be best to just move on.

"Nope."

"Really?"

"Not going to happen Curly. Was just as much her fault, if she'd done what she'd said then it wouldn't have been a problem. Don't need no broad thinking she can make a fool out of me."

Except that despite my bravado I don't actually want to forget it, forget her, find someone else.

And now I sound like something out of one of Angela's fucking trashy magazine problem pages. Jesus. Reckon all the guys would be flat out laughing at me losing it like this and stressing over what some girl thinks of me or whether she'll ever even speak to me again.

"Come on, Tim, you ain't in the bar now needing to keep up a front for the guys, she ain't like that and you know it. Thought you really liked her. Must have done, to spend so much time with her. Got to have been a couple months at least?"

Three months, nearly four, longest I ever spent with one girl, but I don't bother to correct him, can't think about that right now. Running my hand through my hair, I wish he'd leave it, hate the way he can always seem to figure out what's going on in my head.

"Maybe you don't know me as well as you think, Curly."

"Yeah, right. I mean sure she was fucking mad at you, can't exactly blame her for that. But surely you can talk her round? If you want to? Thought Tim Shepard always got what he wanted."

Just shrug again. Wish things were that damn easy.

Instead I spend the next couple of days robbing car parts in the day, drinking in the night, and kidding myself that things are better this way.

So that by Saturday night when I wind up in my third fight of the day, then end the night with some random girl who's spent the whole time flirting with me, it seems I'm doing a pretty good job of convincing everyone that I'm over her—everyone that is, apart from me.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Many thanks for the reviews, and to everyone reading, so here's the next chapter... :)

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**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

_Saturday night._

It's a little over two weeks later that she walks back into Buck's, and truth be told I'm more than a little surprised about it—that is until the date registers in my mind.

Seems most of Brumly have turned up here tonight as well for some reason but even that don't stop my main concern being her, can't help but be aware of where she is or who she's talking to no matter what the hell else I'm doing.

Still can't believe she's chosen to come _here_ of all places.

Certainly wasn't top of the list back when we had talked about today, although I guess the people she's with probably had some influence in that. People like Sylvia, who she's talking with right now. Guess it was easy for them to settle their differences once I was out the picture. Wonder if she even cares that I'm here.

So much for me spending all that time convincing myself I don't give a damn anymore.

xxxxxx

"Shepard."

"Evening, Lewis, so what can I do for you?" Guide him away from the bar, away from the guys I've been drinking with and the girls who've been hanging around us, and move across the bar to a less crowded spot.

"Just catching up. How's things been for you lately with our friends down town? You had any more trouble?"

"Not been too bad, still think there's more going on than either of us knows though, just can't quite figure out what that is yet."

Crowd shifts and I catch sight of her again, with some Brumly loser now, smiling at him like she's actually _enjoying_ his company. Watch them just a little too long 'cause Lewis turns to see what it is I'm finding so interesting.

"You okay with that?" He asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"With what?" Try to bluff it, but guess it don't work, 'cause he just rolls his eyes at me, laughs to himself.

"Jones. Trying his luck with that girl of yours. I can put a stop to it, if it's a problem to you?"

Just shrug, dismiss his offer—even though there's nothing I'd like better. Although if anyone's going to put a stop to things, I'd rather it was me.

"Nah, he's welcome to her. So anyway, tell me what's been happening with Robinson?"

Dave Robinson—Lewis' second in command who's due in court in a couple of days and that topic proves an easy way to distract him from my issues as he starts cursing and bitching about losing another good guy, about how he's sure Robinson's been stitched up and his suspicions that Myers is involved in it somehow—but he hasn't been able to get near to Robinson since he was hauled in to find out exactly what went down.

xxxxxx

I spot Leigh heading towards the open door, watch as she stops just inside and fumbles with trying to light a cigarette. Unsurprisingly, given the occasion, it seems she's been drinking more than usual. 'Cause she ain't much of a smoker, not unless she's drinking. Or stressed—and she don't look upset right now, least not until I approach her anyway.

"Need a light?"

"Thanks." Accepts my offer at least, before leaning back against the edge of a table, stares at me as I light a smoke of my own. "So what d'you want, Tim? Because I don't believe you're here just to be helpful. So why don't you go enjoy yourself with one of your trampy little friends and leave me in peace?"

And even though I know that I shouldn't be surprised that she's still mad at me, and that her assessment of them girls ain't all that far from the mark, her attitude frustrates me, end up snapping back at her, "Christ, Leigh, you sound just like Sylvia and it sure as hell don't suit you. When the hell d'you get to be such a bitch?"

"Oh, I don't know, about the same time some guy decided it was okay to treat me like shit I guess."

"Guess I deserve that." I smile at her, and she very nearly smiles back. Don't glare at me no more anyways and it almost feels like some kind of progress. "Look I just wanted to say happy birthday, tell you that you look real nice tonight."

And now she does smile, just a little, as she automatically smooths out the skirt of her dress, makes me wonder if she thought of me when she picked it out, of all the times I told her it was my favourite thing of hers and how damn good she looked in it. "Thanks."

"So how's things? How's Frank?"

"Oh, everything's much the same, dad's alright—still working too hard but he says he's gonna be fine. But I guess you don't need to know about any of that."

Her voice fades off, but I don't want her to go, not yet. "Look, do you want to get a drink or something? Maybe go someplace we can talk?"

She looks taken aback, glances towards Sylvia who's off with her latest fella, then over at the bar and the guy she was with, only he's still leaning over the counter, talking to Buck as he finally gets served.

"Sorry, Tim, but I can't."

"Why? What's to stop you?"

She shrugs, looks back towards the bar again.

"What? You're with him now?" End up sounding harsher than I meant, my contempt for the guy evidently obvious, and only succeed in putting her back on the defensive so she's back to being awkward, angry with me.

"What does it matter? I mean, that's what easy broads like me are supposed to do isn't it? Hang around with any guy that'll have them?"

Christ, I'd almost managed to forget what I'd said to her that night, until she throws my words back at me, words I ain't exactly proud of using, especially to her.

"Damn it, Leigh, I was just mad that night. You know I didn't mean any of that crap—"

"Shouldn't have damn well said it then should you, Tim?"

And she turns away, so that all the things I wanted to say to her are left unsaid, just watch as she starts picking her way back through the crowd until she catches up to Jones, accepts the drink he offers her then leans in and kisses him.

Find myself wondering if that's solely for my benefit, hope to God she isn't doing nothing she don't really want to just to piss me off, to make me realise exactly how bad I fucked up.

Although if she is hoping to get to me, she sure is doing a fucking good job of it.

Don't know that I can handle this, not being here in the same room as the pair of them together without causing any trouble. Only I don't reckon pounding the guy into the ground on her birthday is exactly going to impress her.

Opt instead for the cop-out of walking out the door, of getting the hell out of here and away from everybody. Ain't nothing going my way tonight though 'cause I'm barely out the front door before I run into Curly.

"Hey, Tim, wait up. Was hoping to find you," he calls out, loping over to me.

"What's wrong? You got the car with you? Need to get the hell out of here."

He looks shifty, nervous even, as he speaks. "Well, see that's the problem, Tim—"

"Jesus, Curly, what you done now? Crashed the damn thing?"

"No. I ain't done nothing to it. Was Dallas Winston."

"What the hell's Winston got to do with you not having my car? When did he even get out anyways?" Can't help but thinking that there's always fucking something for me to deal with, that I never get any time to myself any more.

"Come out the house to head over here, only there's Winston in the street slashing the tyres, like he was waiting for someone to see him do it. He went off before I could stop him, laughing and muttering something about wanting to get even with you over being arrested. So now I had to walk all the way here."

Looks like I found an outlet for some of my frustrations, after all.

"You know where he went?"

xxxxxx

"So are we even now, Shepard?"

Dallas grins as he wipes the sweat from his forehead, leans back against the wall of the building.

"Depends."

Catching my breath, I manage to light a cigarette and wonder if I'll have a black eye in the morning, my face sure is hurting anyway. Dallas managed to land a few good punches on me but at least I don't think he's done any real damage although I reckon I probably cracked his ribs some.

"Depends on what?"

"On whether you pull any more dumb stunts like you did today. I mean, really? Slashing the tyres in front of Curly? Wasn't exactly one of your smartest ideas was it?"

"Unless I wanted you to come looking for a fight, save myself the effort of tracking you down."

"Fucking asshole." And despite myself I can't help grinning at his reasoning. "You could have saved me the expense of paying for new tyres though."

"Hell, you owe me for getting arrested on your lousy job, Shepard."

"Or perhaps you need to know when not to lose it? That was your own damn fault for getting into it with Lang and you know it."

"Whatever." And now he's grinning at me, like we haven't just been beating on each other, like we're standing around discussing the football scores or something. "So you coming to Buck's? Reckon I might have a couple beers and check out the broads. Got some catching up to do after all those weeks in the reformatory without any company."

"Nah, got other places to be." Don't want to risk finding Leigh still there, don't trust myself to hold back from causing a scene twice in one night.

"Yeah? What the hell's going on with you, Tim? Don't remember you ever turning down the opportunity to score."

"Just can't be bothered," I snap, just a little too defensively, causing Dallas to stop and stare at me, look me up and down before laughing to himself.

"Probably just as well—no broad's gonna be interested in you with your face that messed up anyway, Shepard, you look a proper fucking mess." He smirks at me before sauntering off across the street, his hands in his pockets. "Suppose I'll see you around then, Tim."

"Yep, suppose you will."

By the time I get home everything's gone round in my head another hundred times. In desperation I root through the cupboards, find a two-thirds empty bottle of bourbon stashed in the back behind some pans, and figure I'm way more in need of this right now than Harry, will risk him noticing it's gone. Ain't like he can exactly do much to me these days anyway.

Slumping on the threadbare sofa with my feet up on the table, I crack open the bottle, pour myself a more than generous measure, knock it back and refill the glass. Find myself thinking again about where I can get enough money to cover all we need at home, what trouble Angela's going to get herself in this week that she'll need me to fix, what the River Kings are planning next—'cause if they're taking out Lewis' guys, they ain't likely to leave me alone either, and then to top it all off, whether Leigh's someplace getting friendly with that other loser right now.

Hell, people think I got it made, being a gang leader. Shows how much they know, 'cause just lately there ain't one day goes by without some new problem rearing it's head. Resort to pouring another drink, try to forget all that I got to deal with—for tonight at least.


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

_Monday evening._

Finally get home a little after six.

All I want to do right now is take a shower, unwind a little after hauling bricks and shit around a construction site all day, and I might be in luck 'cause for once the house seems real quiet. At first I think there can't be anyone else home—aside from Ma of course, who'll be in the kitchen reading the paper and smoking like always—'cause the television's not on and the radio's not blasting out from Angela's room.

Except as I pass her door there's the unmistakeable sound of crying.

Glance in at her and think about heading straight by, leaving her to it, 'cause I ain't exactly keen to hear her latest dramas. Only before I can move Angela looks up and catches me standing there.

"Hey, Angel, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Okay then."

Go to walk away, only she calls out to me, "Tim, wait."

Stepping inside I take a good look at her; her eyes are puffy and red, the make-up that she wears too much of streaked down her cheeks. "So, what's the matter? You gonna tell me what's got you so bothered?"

She shrugs, "It's nothing much." Hastily begins wiping her away the tears with the back of her hand.

"Really? 'Cause it sure doesn't seem like nothing," I offer as I sit beside her on the bed. "Something happen at school? Someone upset you? Need me to sort them out for you?"

"No, not really. It's Curly—only don't you dare tell him I was crying about him. He'd never let me forget it if he thought I was upset over him."

"Why, what's the dumbass done to you now?"

"That's just it, Tim. He hasn't done nothing to me, or anyone else, not this time."

"Don't understand—what's the problem then?"

"We had a real big fight last night, told him I hated him, wouldn't speak to him before school this morning either."

I roll my eyes at her. "Well that ain't exactly nothing new, Ange."

"I know, but then Ma got this phone call, about half an hour ago. She said he's been picked up for robbing some store over the weekend and he's likely gonna get a real long spell in the reformatory this time. The cops reckon the judge'll make an example of him on account of his record and what happened with that other kid Saturday night."

"Start again. What exactly are they saying he done? And when's he supposed to have done it?"

"Last night, they say he broke into some liquor store across town. But he can't have done it, Tim, not when we were here fighting all night."

"Which store?"

"I don't know the name; it's not one round here. Some place down by the river, I think."

xxxxxx

_Tuesday morning._

Looks like I'm not gonna get a full week's worth of wages after all.

It's a little before nine, was meant to be there an hour ago, but instead I'm taking Ma down the police station hoping to find out exactly what's happening, ask if I can go see Curly while she's sorting out the paperwork.

I'm not even sure that they'll let me see him. But if he's up in front the judge sometime later today then it won't be long until they ship him out of here so it's got to be worth a try, to make sure he's alright—even if walking voluntarily into the police station ain't exactly my first choice of things to do today, or any other day of the week come to think of it.

Desk sergeant tells us to take a seat, and as I watch the minutes tick past on the clock behind his desk, from my spot on the uncomfortable bench, it seems like he's in no hurry to help us. Pretty sure that's on purpose though. Just hope Ma doesn't lose it completely. Wish I'd had the forethought to get her to take one her pills before she came out 'cause she's already crying into her handkerchief and bitching at me about how it was my responsibility to keep Curly out of trouble. Like I don't feel bad enough already about him being here without her damn well adding to that.

Finally the door at the end the corridor that leads to the holding cells opens, some cop who ain't all that much older than me appears while Dallas Winston swaggers out from behind him, a little worse for wear, grinning at me as he goes by.

The same guy smiles at Ma, tells her someone will be out to speak to her in a minute, before he turns to me, more hostile now as he gestures for me to follow him.

"He's in here, although I guess you already know the way—reckon we'd be doing the world a favour if we locked up the pair of you."

Really want to tell him what I think of him, but I know I got to keep my damn mouth shut, can't risk being thrown out when I'm this close to seeing my brother.

"Hey, Tim." Curly smiles up at me like he don't have a care in the world, does a pretty convincing job of it from a distance, too.

Taking the seat opposite him, the cop stays in the doorway, half-heartedly watching the pair of us, but more interested in the conversation going on across the hallway between some of his buddies. Gradually his attention drifts as we talk about nothing very much until finally I get the opportunity to get around to asking the one question I need to have an answer to.

"Damn it, Curly, what are you playing at? Angel reckons you were home all night; tell me you ain't dumb enough to have hit that place a second time?"

"No, I didn't do it, not this time around. Not that they give a damn about that, gonna pin it on one of us anyways by the sound of it."

"What d'you mean?"

"Cops said when they picked me up that they got a witness. Seems I matched the description pretty much exactly—teenager, 'bout six foot, greased back black hair, tough looking, and then when we come in here she picked me out straight away, told them she was a hundred per cent sure it was me she seen." He rubs his forehead, grins at me. "Got picked up pretty soon after I left school, I'd only just got across to the Ribbon and there were cops everywhere, probably on account of all that happened Saturday. Sure wish I'd gone straight home for once."

"Fuck's sake, Curly, if you didn't do it why did they tell Ma you confessed?"

"Obvious ain't it?" he says with a shrug, his voice low and quiet. "Soon as they said which store it was, I knew it had to be a set up, and we both know who's behind it. Reckon it's lucky the cops seen me first don't you? I mean that description's vague enough that it could just as easily have been you they arrested. And that witness didn't see me so she's got to owe them or be in on it somehow."

"Still don't explain why you admitted it."

"Jesus, Tim, you know you'd get full-on jail if you got sent down over this, get sent up to County or something. Figured it was easier for me to take this one."

Curly stares at me, and I recognise his expression, that same look I've seen so often over the years when he's desperate for me to tell him he's done good. "God, Curly, you don't have to just accept this, you can say you didn't do it."

"Look, Tim, you gotta keep everything going, take care of Angela and Ma. We both know I wouldn't be no good at running things and I don't expect you could trust Danny or Ryan to do a good job either, without you everything'll just fall right apart. Besides, the only person who seen me at home was Ange and they ain't exactly gonna take her word are they?"

"Shouldn't have done it, Curly, they don't have no real evidence 'cause you didn't damn well do it." My emotions are all over the place, ranging from pride in him for thinking he was doing something good for me, via anger at Myers through to despair that he's admitted to anything before I had the chance to speak to him, to try to figure out another solution.

"Can't see any other way around it, Tim. I'll be home getting on your nerves again before you know it. Hell, if Dallas Winston can get off early for good behaviour, reckon I can give it a shot too. Oh and tell Angela at least in the reformatory I'll get a break from listening to her crappy music all the damn time." He grins at me now, his voice full of bravado again.

For all the world Curly looks like some no good hood as he sits there, but I know him too well, can still see the fear in his eyes.

"Yeah? You sure about this? You don't need to do this—I can go tell 'em it was me if you want, get you out of here right now."

"Yeah I'm sure."

"Okay you two, enough of the chat, your time is up. On your feet, Shepard," the cop interrupts, and we both drag ourselves up from our seats, turn to Curly as the cop starts to lead him away.

"You're an idiot, but you're alright sometimes, kid. Just watch your back in there, make sure they know not to mess with you."

"Yeah, I know, ain't like it's my first visit, is it?"

As he heads back down the corridor, I know there's nothing more I can do for Curly now—apart from ensuring Myers don't get away with this, that I make him pay for what he's done.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: As always, thank you for reading and for the reviews, it's great to hear you're liking it so far :)

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**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

**September 1965.**

_Saturday night._

Have lost track of how long I've been driving around, avoiding going home or making any decision about what the hell I should be doing.

Funnily enough no one wanted to stay and celebrate after that news, just knew I had to get out of there, away from everyone talking about it like it was just something out the movies instead of someone we all actually knew.

So here I am, navigating the streets of the city trying not to think about how easily it could have been any one of us there in his place. How it could have been Curly. How it could have been me.

Out the blue it crosses my mind to head down town. To search out Wayne Myers and settle things one on one with him, and I'm almost there when I realise it's about the dumbest idea I've ever had. Aside from the fact I have no idea what I'm doing, it ain't like I'm exactly in any state to actually carry anything through anyway. No. If I'm gonna put the Kings boss out of action once and for all, I'm going to do it properly, not go looking for a fight I got no chance of winning 'cause I'm already bruised and battered and barely thinking straight.

Think there's been enough trouble for one night anyway. And the River Kings'll still be there tomorrow, next week, next month—however long it takes me to come up with a plan to finally get even with them once and for all.

But it's as I'm turning the car away from Kings territory that it finally hits me. There's really only one place I actually _want_ to be right now.

xxxxxx

"Jesus, Tim, what the hell?" She pushes her window open a little while she stares at me uncertainly, like she's half a mind to tell me to get lost. "You got any idea what the time is?"

The time? God it's has to be long past midnight, remember it was well after eleven when Ryan had come barrelling in through the door at Buck's making his announcement, but beyond that, I got no clue.

"Please, Leigh? Just need to speak to you? Five minutes is all. Then I'll go, I promise."

And I suppose I must sound pretty desperate, 'cause she nods at me. "Yeah, only keep it down alright? My dad's across the hall, hopefully he's still sleeping."

She opens the window to its widest, stands back as I haul myself in as carefully and quietly as I can muster, narrowly miss falling on my face when the pain in my side takes me by surprise and I only just manage to grab a hold of the edge the dresser to right myself at the last second, hope the resulting crash isn't really as loud as it seemed.

Glancing round, I realise she's studying me as best she can in the low light of the lamp, force myself to take my hand off the window ledge and hold myself up a little straighter, like I'm not in pain or my head ain't killing me. That I don't feel close to breaking point.

Don't think I do a very good job though, 'cause her expression says it all. Guess I must look even more of a wreck than I'm feeling.

"What the hell happened to you?"

She steps a little closer, reaches up and gently touches my forehead with her fingertips, makes me feel for a split second like there's nothing wrong between us. Only even in this state I know it ain't that straightforward 'cause we haven't actually spoken in a week now and the one time I've seen her since then she just crossed the street, carried on walking like I wasn't even there.

"The rumble was tonight, against the Socs. Nose got busted again." Try to smile but fail miserably, 'cause now we're probably both thinking of the last time it happened, me being an ass, Miller decking me in the parking lot.

"God, Tim, sit down, how bad are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," I lie, letting her take my hand and guide me to sit on the edge the bed all the same. "Everything just needed settling, after all the trouble with that Cade kid. Tonight should have done that at least."

"That's great, but what's all that got to do with me?"

"Realised I needed to see you, after everything else that's gone down tonight."

"Why? What else happened?" Her voice is gentle, reassuring, reminds me of that other night, way back, in Nick's kitchen. When my brother was still home causing me trouble.

"Winston."

"Why, what's he done now?"

"He's dead."

Try not to think about how I only saw him a few hours ago in the hospital and cracked those jokes at his expense.

Or how it was only two nights ago that we were drinking and he asked me to back them in the rumble, to call in a favour and get Lewis and his guys on board too.

That despite all the trouble I've been in over the years I ain't ever known anyone to die because of it.

"God, what the hell happened? How?"

Start off explaining to her what we heard back in the bar, how he's been gunned down by the cops like the dumb idiot I always knew he was. And it seems now I've started talking I can't fucking stop as I carry on telling her how damn sorry I am for the way I treated her, that it wasn't ever supposed to end that way, that I want things to go back to how they were. She don't say nothing, just lets me carry on spilling it all. Then comes and sits beside me, wraps her arms around me, only to shift quickly back again as I flinch a little under her touch.

"What's the matter, Tim, you bust your ribs or something as well?" She looks more closely at me, at the dark stain that's barely visible on my black T-shirt, at the tear in the cotton.

"It's nothing."

"Nothing? Come on, let me take a look."

"No, I'm fine." Try to push her hands off of me while she frowns.

"Come on, you're gonna let me, Tim. Just take your damn shirt off will you?" Helps me pull it over my head when the pain takes me by surprise, then draws in a sharp breath as she examines the rough cut. "What the hell, how'd you get cut like that?"

"Some asshole brought crap he shouldn't to a skin fight."

"Tell me you've cleaned this at least?"

Nod at her, had doused it with some booze back at the bar.

"So who done it, some Soc?"

Nod again, 'cause I can't exactly tell her it was that jerk she was with the other night, that the only reason I'd got cut up was 'cause I'd taken the opportunity in all the confusion near the end to try to take him out as well. Right after I'd laid out some big time Soc, not knowing he had that piece of pipe until he caught me square in the ribs then ripped into me with the jagged end of it. That after that I'd nearly lost it and Lewis had had to step in and stop me, discipline the fucker himself before I finished things.

Can barely concentrate anyway with her hands on my side as she turns me a little into the light, presses gently either side of the wound. "Hmm, it's not pretty but it doesn't look too deep, you just need to be careful."

And I don't exactly know how it happens or who moves first but somehow now we're kissing as I try to ignore the pain that's overtaking me 'cause I don't want this to end. Only I don't get a choice in that 'cause she pushes me gently away, and next thing she's heading towards the door.

Thinking I've maybe pushed things too far and blown my chances yet again, I drag myself up too, reaching for my shirt.

"Guess I better get going then."

Only she shakes her head. "You don't have to, was just going to grab you some Aspirins, reckon you probably need them. Stay a while? If you want to?"

Much as I want to be here, I need to be certain she means it, take a step towards her and rest my hand on her shoulder, as much to steady myself as anything, 'cause the room is starting to spin and I suddenly ain't feeling so hot.

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Don't think you're exactly in any state to go anywhere right now anyway, it's a miracle you even made it here." And then she kisses me real quick. "Now go lie down before you fall down."

xxxxxx

_Sunday._

Raised voices bring me round with a jolt.

Takes me a couple of seconds to get my bearings, and despite all the crap that's happened I still find myself grinning at the realisation that I'm actually here, in her bed. How right it felt to have her there next to me, curled up against my uninjured side with her hand on my chest, telling me everything would be just fine. The first time in all the nights we've spent together that we've stayed together until morning, even if I wasn't exactly in any shape to take advantage of that fact.

Except that we ain't together, I'm here alone. Sets me wondering whether any of it actually happened like I remember or if I got hit harder than I thought and it was all just some fucked up dream.

Angry tones cut through the air again, bring me back to reality.

As I tentatively sit up then slip into my jeans, a quick glance at her alarm clock makes me do a double take, 'cause somehow it's already after midday. Least my head ain't hurting so bad, even if the rest of me feels like shit still. Shaking myself I edge towards the door, quietly open it a fraction so I can hear a little better and try to make out what the hell is going on out there.

They must be in the kitchen or something 'cause although I can hear them arguing, snapping backwards and forwards at each other, I still can't exactly make out the words and I wonder whether it's about me. I suppose that's unlikely though, figure he'd be in here laying into me - in more ways than one - if he knew I was here.

And then the volume of his voice goes up another level. "...But nothing, Leigh. Now I've been fine this last week, and all the time since I've been home, haven't I? ... I said haven't I?"

Don't hear no reply, but apparently she must eventually agree with him, 'cause he continues on at her.

"Okay then, so no more about this. I'll see you later." And a couple of seconds later the front door bangs shut.

Crossing the hall I find her in the sitting room, busying herself with tidying up, make her jump a little when I speak to her.

"Morning, you should've woken me."

"'S'alright, you looked like you needed the sleep."

"You okay?" Can't exactly miss her serious expression or that her eyes shine like she's close to tears, the fact it feels like there's that uncomfortable distance back between us again. "You in trouble with your old man?"

"No, not really. Just he's a stubborn idiot who thinks he's indestructible. Thinks he can just carry on exactly the same as before and be fine. Don't care for me telling him he shouldn't." She shrugs, still don't smile. "Anyway, don't worry about it. You want to go shower or something? I'll find you one of his shirts you can borrow if you like, it won't exactly be a good fit but at least it'll be in one piece."

"You sure you're alright?"

She shrugs again, picks up a glass and heads away to the kitchen, like she's avoiding answering me, end up following her.

"Leigh? You gonna talk to me or not?"

"What you want to know?"

"How about you tell me what's troubling you? Seems you got more on your mind than the fight with your old man." Watch her while she spends an age shuffling things about on the counter before eventually turning back to me, plays with the hem of her top as she asks her question.

"Why did you come here last night?"

"To see you. I just want you back, Leigh. Kind of hoped you wanted the same too after you let me stay."

"You were a mess, Tim, turning up here banging on my window in the middle of the night. I couldn't make you leave, wouldn't have forgiven myself if I sent you away and something had happened to you." She leans back against the sink, folds her arms, stares at the floor rather than look at me.

"Don't tell me you don't want me. I might have been pretty out of it but I sure as hell wasn't imagining you kissing me or holding me, all them things you said to me."

"Maybe, but I don't know that it's that simple."

And that sick feeling she's moved on gets me again, force myself to ask the question, even though I'm not sure I want to hear the answer. "Why? Have you got someone new? You seeing that Brumly guy now or something?"

"What? No." And finally she holds my gaze. "There wasn't anything to that, just seemed like a good idea at the time. Had a couple of drinks with him was all, didn't even stay all that long after you left. Spent the rest of the night back in Sylvia's bathroom throwing up and crying about you. Let's just say I'm not likely to be drinking that much again anytime soon."

And while she shakes her head at the memory, I can't help but smile a little at her words, 'cause at least if she's been crying about me then I must still mean something to her. "Then why d'you avoid me the other afternoon?"

"Why do you think? The last time we spoke didn't exactly go well, just didn't want to make a fool of myself again. Besides, it's hardly a secret that you've been seeing other girls, so I figured you weren't missing me all that much."

"Jesus, I deserved all you said to me that night and more." And beyond that I don't exactly know what to say, 'cause it's true, there's been too many other girls and I know it don't look good. Want to tell her that I spent all that time wishing it was her I was with, only the moments gone, she's speaking again.

"Yeah, but that still don't change the fact you didn't trust me or that you did what you did, Tim."

"So are you saying you don't want me?"

She looks like she's wants to speak, stops again and runs her hand through her hair, before finally answering me, "Yes… No... I don't know. I mean I got no wish to keep fighting with you, Tim. But then I don't want to end up like Dal and Sylv used to be, with you running around and me just forgiving you, falling back in your bed every time you got nothing better going on. Because that sure as hell isn't what I'm looking for."

"Look, Leigh, that ain't what I want either. I know I fucked up big time with you. Knew that straight away, that night in the parking lot, only I was too much of a jerk to actually admit I was in the wrong. Guess I've finally come to my senses, and I just need to know if you'll have me back? I mean, we had some good times didn't we? We were pretty damn good together, don't you think?"

"Yeah, guess we were."

"Reckon we could be again?"

And as she finally smiles at me, I get some small glimmer of hope that maybe things will work out alright after all. "Yeah, I reckon we could."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thanks again for reading and for the reviews :)

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

_Sunday evening._

"It's been a real good afternoon, Tim, but do you think you maybe ought to go home sometime soon?"

We've spent the last couple of hours lying here on Leigh's bed with her in my arms, talking mostly, or fooling around... a whole lot of fooling around. So yeah, it sure has been a real good afternoon—up until this moment.

"Why? You sick of me already?" Try to sound casual, like I ain't actually worried what she's going to say next, not entirely sure I succeed on that front.

"Course not." She just shakes her head, smiling. Although it's the way she kisses me that really leaves me with no doubts over how she's feeling, makes me realise I'm an idiot for thinking otherwise.

"So what's the problem? You worried about your old man coming back?"

"A little."

"Yeah? Don't suppose I'm his favourite person after—" Only just manage to stop myself before I say any more, kick myself for saying anything at all, as she sits up, pulls her knees up under her chin, frowns a little.

"No, that's not it. I mean, don't get me wrong, he'd really lose it if he walked in here right now. But he don't know that you... that we... had that falling out. At the time I had too much else to worry about, telling him didn't seem all that important when he was so unwell. Then after that, I didn't think there was any point in getting him all wound up over something that was already done. Especially as I wasn't quite ready to give up on you, not completely." She smiles again, blushes a little at her admission, kisses me another time. "No, it's just I was wondering, won't anyone there be worried about you? If nobody's seen you or heard from you in all this time?"

Can't help but laugh at that thought. "Doubt that, sweetheart, they're more likely to be disappointed that I've come home at all." And I hold her a little closer, trail my fingers across soft warm skin, hope she lets me stay even a little longer 'cause there ain't no other place I can think of that I'd rather be right now. "So how much time do you think we've got until he's home?"

xxxxxx

When I finally do drag myself away from her my next stop still isn't home.

Instead, I take a slight detour in the hope of speaking to the guys, find them easy enough, hanging out over at Simmonds' place—him messing with his car, Ryan stood watching with a beer in his hand—and it's Lang who spots me first.

"Evening, Tim, been wondering where you'd got to."

"Why, what's on your mind, Ryan?"

"Just curious. Where did you end up last night?"

"Nowhere in particular."

He looks me over, smirking as he notices my torn shirt. Looks tougher than anything she found me of her old mans, 'cause the guy must be twice my size, and if even Leigh couldn't take me serious in it then there was no way I was leaving the house like that. Still, had been a good excuse to lose the shirt again. Realising Ryan's still talking at me I push those distracting thoughts from my mind and try to listen to what he's going on about.

"Jesus, Tim, so even after all that trouble last night, you still manage to score? You gonna tell us who it is that's good enough to keep you busy the whole day, if you ain't so much as made it home yet?"

"Nobody important." I'm trying to not sound bothered, like it was nothing special, like she isn't the one good thing salvaged out of what's been a damn nightmare of a week. "Haven't come here to talk about last night or some broad, I'm here to talk business, we got shit we need to take care of."

Spend the next half hour or so talking through some thoughts I've had on Myers and the pair of them seem to agree it should work. Ain't keen to bring no one else in on this right now, don't exactly trust none of the new guys enough yet, figure it's safer to stick with the people I know best for this.

"So when you thinking of doing it, Tim?" Danny asks.

"Sooner rather than later, before he gets a chance to do anything else to another one of us. Sometime in the next week or so, for sure. Gives us time to sort out all the details, go over it a couple more times."

"Sounds fair, I'll see if I can get that information you need," offers Ryan.

"Right, that's set then." And although I'd rather be going back to Leigh, it seems I got no choice but to go home, can't put it off any longer. "So think it over, make sure we haven't missed anything that could likely be a problem. Any issues, any flaws you find in the plan, anything at all about it that's bothering you - no matter how small - then I need to know before we do it. This has got to be done right, there ain't no room for mistakes. Meet back here, same time tomorrow and we'll go over it again."

xxxxxx

My head's starting to pound again, could do with some peace and some time to myself, maybe get some sleep. Except as soon as I walk in the door I know that's not going to happen, can already hear Angela's voice echoing out from the kitchen, and she don't sound happy.

"Everything alright in here?"

Angela turns round, glares at me. "Fucking hell, Tim, where on earth have you been?"

"Out. And what do you care? And maybe you need to watch your mouth Angela, ain't exactly attractive is it?"

"God, you're unbelievable. You want to know why I'm so damn interested? Because I've been stuck here all day with _her_, asking me every two minutes where you are." She points over at Ma, who still hasn't said anything, doesn't seem to have even noticed me. "I mean, look at her, I couldn't exactly leave her on her own, could I?"

Stepping over the broken china in the doorway, I pull out a chair and sit alongside my mother. She's sitting at the kitchen table same as any other day, only today her cigarette isn't in her hand, it's resting ignored on the ashtray, burning slowly down to the filter. Pill jars are all lined up to the side of it, and she sits staring off into the distance, perfectly still aside from the fact her hands are moving, twisting her rings repeatedly round and round.

"Hey, Ma." No response. Turn back to Angela who's still bitching at me for not being around. "Jesus, Ange, I get the message so why don't you just quit it. I'm sorry, but I had something important to take care of."

"More important than letting us know you're okay?" She asks, scowling at me while I grin back at her, and apparently she's getting almost as good at reading me as Curly. "Oh God, you've been off with some girl, haven't you?"

"Like I said, what I do ain't any of your concern, Angela."

"But that is where you've been, isn't it? Screwing around with some cheap broad all fucking day? Leaving me to deal with Ma?"

Try to ignore her comments, guide the conversation away from her opinions on what she thinks I've been doing and back round to the situation here. "Why, what's been going on to make her like this?"

"Christ, it's been shit all day, ever since Harry surfaced anyways."

"Why, what's that loser done now?" Wonder what the hell has happened to make things this bad or if Ma's actually hearing a word we're saying, 'cause it's not like her to let it go if one of us dares say something less than complimentary about Harry. "How many these she taken?" I ask, picking up the nearest bottle, check the label and shake it a little.

"I don't know, she don't exactly share that information, does she?" snaps Angela. "Harry heard on the radio about some kid getting shot, comes in here laughing, asking Ma if she thought it was you. Then he goes off on one, telling her it'd be a blessing if it was because then you wouldn't be around to give him no bother, and how you're even more lousy than our Dad ever was. Ma got real mad at that, actually threw a cup across the room at him, nearly hit him too." She pauses, laughs a little at the recollection. "Kind of wish it had hit him after what he'd said. Clearly it ain't you though, so d'you hear what happened?"

"It was Winston, held up some store." Still don't seem real, that he won't ever be hanging around getting on my nerves or trying to wind me up no more, won't be in Buck's trying to scrounge a beer off of me and bragging over his latest exploits. Concentrate instead on something I can change. "So what happened here, is she alright? Did he hit her? Or you?"

"Nah, thought he was going to, but he stormed off out when I interrupted them, no prizes for guessing where he's gone. Doubt we'll see him again any time soon, least not 'til he runs out of money anyways."

"So how long has she been like this?"

"I'm not sure, was just glad when she stopped crying. Must have told her a thousand times that it can't have been you, 'cause otherwise the cops would have been here by now. Before that she kept going on and on about you, couldn't seem to let it go once she'd got the idea in her head. Spoke some about Curly, about Dad for a while too. Even said some nice things to me. Then out the blue being real horrible again and snapping at me. Could barely follow half of what she was saying, but whatever she said she always ended up back talking about you." She shakes her head. "Jesus, Tim, but I don't know what's got into her. I haven't ever seen her this bad before, have you?"

Think back to all those many times from years ago that Angela's lucky enough not to remember, that she's better off not ever knowing about, that I wish I could forget. Shrug at my sister like it ain't no big deal. "Yeah, once or twice maybe. Why don't you go back to your room or something? I'll stay with her."

And my sister don't need telling again, just hugs me real quick, whispers a hasty thank you, before disappearing out the door without so much as a second glance at Ma.

Now we're alone, I turn my attention back to our mother. "Ma? You okay?" Dumb question really, 'cause it's obvious she isn't, only I can't think of anything else to say to her right now. "Ma?"

Finally, the sound of my voice registers with her and she stares over at me, like she's seen a ghost, and she's unexpectedly up on her feet now, unsteady and disoriented, rests her hand on her shoulder, like she might fall at any second.

"You're here? How are you here?" And she repeats the same thing over and over, leaves me unsure if she even knows who I am right now.

"Ma, it's me, Tim." Talking loud and slow, I finally seem to get through to her a little, wonder how many pills she's taken today.

"Tim?"

Must have taken quite a few judging by the fact she still hasn't started yelling at me, I guess.

"Yeah, it's me, I'm here, Ma. You look tired though, why don't you go get some sleep?"

Putting an arm across her shoulders, I guide her out the room, because the only way to get her to do anything on these days is to tell her. And for once she's surprisingly compliant; until she sits on the edge the bed, when she just talks and talks at me, clings on to my arm so I can't leave, like her life depends on me being there.

"... You're such a good boy, Tim, always taking care of me, all these years, since he's been gone. Don't know what I'd do if you weren't here."

Bite back the urge to make some sarcastic reply to that. 'Cause even now after all these years, after all the times I've been here before, there's still some small part of me that wants to believe that she might actually mean it. Except I know she won't remember a damn word of it by the morning, and that tomorrow she'll be back to yelling and bitching and criticising me, blaming me for all that's wrong in this house. Almost wish she was shouting now, 'cause I don't know that listening to that isn't easier to handle than all this.

"Look, Ma, why don't you just try to sleep, okay? I ain't going nowhere, I promise."


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

_Tuesday evening._

"Evening, Shepard."

Guess running into the guy like this shouldn't really be such a shock, being as it ain't the first time I've ever seen him here. But not like this, looking like he's more than one of the crowd. 'Cause there he is, the boss of the River Kings, sat on the corner of the desk like he fucking owns the place while he idly flicks through the pile of letters and bills on the table top.

Really, really want to punch him right now, and from the smirk on his face I reckon he knows it—same as he's well aware that I won't start anything, not here, in front of her or her old man, with all his buddies just a few feet down the hall. I might be a lot of things, but we both know I ain't quite that foolish.

"Wayne." Focus on the second hand of the clock on the wall behind him as it ticks by, try not to think about Curly, Nick, all the other shit. Instead I push my hands a little deeper into my pockets, remind myself that it's not worth starting something now anyway, because after Thursday night things are gonna be sorted, once and for all. "What the hell you doing in here?"

"Same as you I'd imagine, waiting on Leigh." He pauses, for a second or two, not looking away. "She's a real nice girl."

"And?"

"So it'd be a damn shame if she was to get caught up in any trouble."

Jesus. Thought Myers would have some standards at least, would play by the rules.

"She ain't a part of this, don't know nothing about any of it, so you damn well leave her alone."

He laughs a little. " Seems I touched a nerve there, Tim."

"Just keep her out of it, Myers."

"Or what? What d'you think you're gonna do to me?" He asks, grinning again. "Rumour has it that you barely got an outfit left these days, might as well give it all up and admit defeat right now, realise when you're beaten. Oh, and how's that brother of yours, heard he got himself locked up again?"

Only before I can respond to that jibe Leigh walks in, glances back and forth between the pair of us and then smiles quickly at me. "Hi, Tim, thought I saw you come in." She definitely ain't so happy to see Myers though, just frowns at him. "You need some help with something there, Wayne?" she asks, gathering up the paperwork and shoving it in a drawer.

"Just come to settle up, sweetheart," he says, grinning as he slowly gets to his feet, pulls some cash from his pocket and hands it to her.

"This only for you, or for Pete too?"

"Yeah, for both, brothers got to look out for each other, ain't that right, Tim?"

Refuse to let him get to me, just keep my mouth shut and watch for what seems an eternity as she takes his money, counts it, then scribbles a note in one of the ledgers.

"Thanks as always, Leigh." She nods, while he turns back to me. "See you around, Shepard."

Can't even trust myself to reply though as everything goes round in my head, all that he said tonight, all that he's done, just glare at him as he strolls out the door until finally her voice and the warmth of her hand on my arm brings me back round to reality.

"...Tim? So how come you're here? Is everything okay, are you feeling alright?"

Try to smile, relax a little. "Yeah, everything's fine, just wanted to see you, thought we could do something."

"Oh. Okay. What was all that with Wayne? I mean it's pretty obvious that you two aren't friends, but was he trying to wind you up or is there something else going on as well?"

"It's nothing, I just don't trust him, Leigh. He ain't a good guy, don't like that you have to be around him at all." I know it sounds ridiculous and I doubt she really believes me 'cause she sure as hell isn't stupid, knows enough about what I do to realise that I'm no saint and that Myers certainly ain't any better. But I really don't want her knowing everything that's been going on, don't want this thing we got being tainted by any of that.

"You sure you're okay then, don't have anything more you want to share with me?"

Shake my head, try to hide my distaste at the whole thing, force myself to smile properly. "It's nothing, forget it." Opt instead for trying to change the subject, "So where d'you want to go?"

xxxxxx

If anyone had said to me a few months back that I'd have actually missed just spending time with some girl and listening to her telling me all the shit that's happened in her day then I'd have flat out laughed. Only as we sit here in Jay's and she hops randomly from subject to subject as she talks about a dozen different things, it hits me how glad I am we sorted this.

So how's the job going?" Although she don't say it outright I know she thinks it's a good thing that I got some regular work going these days, that I'm managing to stick with it, not that I got much choice on that front with the way things are at home.

"Yeah, it's pretty good."

Can't stand it really, realised a long time ago that I'm not exactly cut out for being told what to do all day, especially when it's something as mindless as what I'm doing, but at least it's guaranteed cash every Friday and Lord knows I need that right now. Turns out Harry didn't get his hours cut this time. Apparently he's been late one time too often 'cause he's been laid off for good and it don't seem like he's in any hurry to find himself anything else either. Although at least him fucking up has given Ma something other than me to focus her attentions on this week.

"That's good." And I'm kind of relieved she don't push no further on that – until I hear what she says next, that is. "Oh, almost forgot, I saw Nick earlier. He was asking me how you were doing, after everything last weekend. You guys still not speaking then?"

Just shrug, "Ain't seen him around in a while."

"Well, from what he said it seems Sylv's still a real mess over it all. He's kind of worried about her. That's why I'm aiming to go see her later."

"Thought she had that new guy, didn't care about Winston no more anyway?"

"Well yeah, but I suppose it must still have been a shock and I don't think she even really believed it at first. But don't forget she spent a whole lot of time with him, probably still would have been with him if he hadn't acted like such a jerk. Anyways, Nick asked me to go see her. And as I wasn't expecting to see you I said I'd go tonight."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, so I guess I ought to make a move soon. You reckon you could drop me at Sylv's?"

"Sure I can't change your mind? You could go see her tomorrow or something instead?" Slip my arm around her shoulders and kiss her, hold her real close.

"Sounds tempting but I promised, Tim."

"You sure?"

"Sorry. But you know I'm not going to change my mind. She's been my friend forever, need to help her out with this. So there's no point in us fighting over it, is there?"

"No, let's get going then." And despite my moody tone, I guess I do get it really, give in and head out the building, hold the door open for her.

"We could always go someplace tomorrow night? And we got the whole weekend together as well. That is if you still want to see me?" She asks, then leans in and whispers to me exactly how she might make it worth my while if I agree, before slipping away, smiling, towards the car.

"Reckon that'd be fair, got a few things I can finish up tonight anyways."

"Yeah?" She turns and frowns at me now. "Like what?"

Shrug a little, like it ain't no big deal. Figure that I might as well keep myself busy and that now is maybe as good a time as any to go tap up Merrill, see if he's got any jobs going I can get in on to make a few extra dollars.

"Just stuff."

"Really?"

Clearly she don't believe me, watches me as I drive, while I keep my eyes firmly on the road, don't need her trying to figure out what the hell is going on in my head right now.

"Look, I'll be careful alright? It's nothing major and you don't need to worry about me, babe."

Only she just rolls her eyes at that, don't look at all impressed. "God, you sound like my Dad now. Don't worry, you don't need to be concerned, I'm alright, everything'll be fine."

"That's 'cause it will be. You know I can take care of myself. So we'll go out tomorrow then?"

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

Pull up the car close to Nick's place, then turn to her again and kiss her a whole lot more, my hands wandering, and God I wish she was staying, disappointed when she eventually moves away.

"See you tomorrow then, Leigh."

"You sure you don't want to come say hello to Nick before you go?"

"No, don't think I'd be all that welcome."

"Well take care, alright? I'll see you real soon." And she pushes open the car door and steps out onto the street, then walks around, leans in through the open window and kisses me one last time.

xxxxxx

Waiting at the traffic signals a few blocks from Buck's I recognise the car that turns out, and all that business from earlier crowds back into my mind. Combines with my anger, my guilt, my hatred of him and all he's ever done to me and the people around me.

Interested in why he's around this part of town and where he's going I find myself ignoring my turning, trailing his motor instead. Because honestly, all I can think of is finishing this. Things have been personal for a while now, even more so after he fitted up Curly, so me seeing him here tonight when I've time on my hands must mean something. It has to, 'cause the chances of actually coming across him without his brother, or Fry, or any the rest his gang is one in a million.

And I guess that's reason enough to convince me to ignore the sensible option, the plan I got all worked out, the plan that's meant to go down two days from now.

Reason enough for me to park up and follow him as he heads along the sidewalk, turns into a side street.

Because one way or another this all ends here, tonight.


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

_Wednesday morning_.

Wish this pounding in my head would stop.

Drag a hand through my hair and force my eyes open, face up to the fact that I'm actually here.

"_Hey Myers!" _

_Land that first satisfying hit on him before he realises what the hell is happening, get in a couple more decent blows while he gathers himself, starts fighting back. Not exactly anything clever, no real idea what the hell I'm planning on doing next. Don't stop it feeling damn good to finally be taking some action though._

Glance across the hall, through the bars, at the clock on the wall.

Half past eight.

Home will be chaos right now, Angela running late for school and Ma yelling. Leigh'll be at work already, like I'm supposed to be. Should be clocked in and starting my shift, trying to make the time go quicker by joking around with the guys there and thinking about the evening I had planned with Leigh. Only I'm sat here, with a couple of drunks, no chance of going anywhere any time soon.

Lean back against the wall and close my eyes again. Just can't stop myself from replaying it over and over, torturing myself with how I got it so wrong.

_We're brawling, really going for it and I feel like I've got the edge in this, enough to let me ignore the pain shooting through my side from Saturday's injuries and slug him another time. Smile to myself as he stumbles to the floor then take advantage of the pause to catch my breath before he comes at me again._

_Only he don't get up, just sits there grinning at me._

_"You done already Myers?"_

_Just laughs at that though. "No, but I reckon you soon will be, seems like you're running out of time real quick, Tim."_

Should have paid more attention to what was happening, or better yet should have carried on driving to Buck's, stuck with my original plan instead of letting things get the better of me. Not try to do this with no thought to what the hell I was getting myself into.

Should have avoided the whole sorry mess.

_All the while he's been speaking Myers has been fishing in his pockets, and I wonder what he's doing, what he's searching for, whether this is going to turn into something a whole lot more dangerous than us fighting in some back street, don't need to check my own pockets though, reckon I can grab my switchblade quicker than he can get to his feet. If I need to, that is._

_Only it ain't nothing, just his lighter. _

_Can't believe he's that arrogant to just sit there, smoking. Means we're stuck in some kind of stand-off. Him not moving, me not prepared to leave, and I'm so absorbed with watching him that I don't notice the movement behind me until it's too late. First I know of it is when my face slams into the bricks of the wall and the cold steel of a blade is pressed against my throat while my arm is twisted up behind my back._

_"Want me to finish him, boss?"_

_Sounds like Jimmy Fry, can't quite see though and I don't suppose it really matters who it is, if my time is up. _

_From the corner of my eye I can just about see Wayne approaching. Stands just inches from me, that same smug grin still on his face. Wonder why in hell they're all around this part of town._

_"Nah, too easy. Want to make him suffer, not put him out of his misery."_

The door to the cell is pulled roughly open, the noise bringing me back to reality.

"On your feet, Shepard."

Been here often enough to know the routine by now, time for more questioning.

"Want to make my phone call first."

Not that I got any great wish to speak to anyone. Ain't going to lay this shit on Leigh, that ain't a good conversation… _Hey, darling, you know how I told you I'd be careful, well get this, I got myself arrested... _Settle instead for taking my chances on who picks up at home, have to make do with Ma. Suppose I should be pleased it isn't Harry at least, even if she does just end up crying down the phone at me, don't listen to a word I'm saying.

xxxxxx

_Friday morning._

"Move it, Shepard, you've got a visitor."

A few minutes later I find myself back in that exact same spot where Curly was sat just a few days ago. Figure after twenty-four hours Ma must have got her act together enough to get down here, if only to tell me how much trouble I'm causing her this time.

"What the hell?" The words slip out before I can stop myself.

"Don't flatter yourself that I give a damn, Shepard. Im only here on account of Leigh. When word got around yesterday she was all set to come down here herself," mutters Nick Miller, arms folded as he leans against the wall. Looks about as pleased to be here as I am to see him.

"So what the hell are you standing there for?"

"Repaying a favour. This ain't exactly a place a girl should be so I offered to come instead. Jesus, but I thought I was past doing all this shit once my sister finally found herself someone decent. Figured Leigh would have had more sense than to get caught up with you again too. So what is going on, how long you reckon you'll be here? "

"No clue, get a few months in County maybe."

"Yeah? You sure that'll be all?"

Just shrug, can't be much worse, ain't like the kid is dead or nothing.

So did you do it?"

Wonder what he's heard. "Do what?"

"Hell, Shepard, don't play fucking dumb with me. Did you do what everyone's saying or not? Did you shoot that kid? What d'you want me to tell her? Personally, the way you've been heading lately I think it's quite likely, but for some reason she don't believe you did it, seems to think you might be better than that."

Sit there in silence, considering whether it's worth admitting the truth; decide if she's prepared to have faith in me then I at least want her to know that I didn't do the worst of it.

"I was there, but no, I didn't do it."

"Then why are you in here? What did happen?"

"It's kind of complicated."

"Complicated how?"

Glance towards the door, the cop's not listening, I don't think. Studies his finger nails, scratches his head, yawns and stares out into the corridor.

"River Kings complicated."

_From where I'm sat I can see Myers. He's over the far side the room right now, talking with his brother, not paying any attention to me at all. But there's no point in making a break for it. Not with a guy by the door, a couple more standing around watching. I know where we are, place used to be a bar, shut down a few years back. Didn't know he operated out of here though, wonder how I managed to miss that fact—and what I've blundered into tonight._

_Door swings open and two more guys walk in, the first one pale, serious looking, the other taller, stockier, and both of them a little older than the rest of us; don't recognise either one of them. But the way Myers acts as he speaks to the first one makes it clear he's some big noise around here. Maybe this is his domain, certainly seems at home, in control, anyways. Get a real bad feeling as Myers and the guy both head this way._

_"So this punk is the cause of all your troubles? The one that's been screwing with my profits?"_

_"Yeah."_

_Turns then and punches me straight in the jaw. He's stronger than he looks; reckon if the seats weren't fixed to the floor I'd be on the ground right now. Shake myself, keep my mouth shut and wait for the pain to subside, don't think it's broken at least, don't seem any point in saying anything._

_Still don't know who he is, but he ain't local that's for sure, his accent makes that much obvious. Texan, I reckon, sounds one hell of a lot like that waste of space Harry anyways. Guess this must be Myers' business associate, the one he has to answer to when things go wrong. Like when we were screwing up his deals._

_"So what you gonna do with him Myers? Take him someplace and put a bullet in him? Need to show me you can take care of things up here, no exceptions. Don't need to be holding your hand every five minutes and cleaning up your mess all the time."_

_Jesus, sounds like I'll be ending up the same way as Winston. What a fucking joke. Just keep staring straight ahead, like I don't give a damn, like I ain't bothered by what he's said._

_"Not exactly..." _

"Shepard? You going to answer me? What the hell happened?" Nick demands.

"Ain't really important, is it?" Seems no point in sharing any of the details, not with him, won't make any difference to how things turn out.

"Jesus, Tim. So you're just letting them charge you? You're not even prepared to sell out scum like Myers, you're ready to get locked away rather than give him up? You ever think that this has got just a little out of hand?"

Just shrug at him, his continued questioning getting annoying now. "Don't have much choice do I? I got no actual proof it wasn't me, just be my word against that of some other guy. Look, just tell Leigh to forget it, to stay away from me."

"Unbelievable." He shakes his head, moves towards the door. "Hey, officer, I'm done here."

"Hey, Miller." Watch as he pauses, glances back over his shoulder at me. "Tell her... tell her I'm sorry, okay?"

xxxxxx

_Thursday afternoon._

The judge is summing up, getting ready to deliver his verdict and my mind starts wandering as he goes back over all the same shit about me that I already know.

Glance around the half empty court room. There's Ma, still sobbing into Angela's shoulder looking to the rest of the world like she might actually care some for me while my sister just stares straight ahead, eyes focused on the wall behind the judges head, doing that thing she used to do when she was younger where if she tries to pretend something ain't real then it can't upset her.

Over to the right is what must be that kid's family, glaring at me. Can't say I blame them, especially 'cause they all believe I'm responsible for what happened to him. But at least he's still alive. At least I'm not getting sent down for killing no one.

Couple rows back behind Ma, there's Leigh. Sat on her own, in the middle of an empty row, just watching me. Guess she ain't told Frank she was coming here 'cause I can't believe he'd let her within a million miles of me no more. Really wish she wasn't here too, 'cause good as it is to see her it still feels pretty crap that she's heard all the bad shit they've been saying about me.

As the judge says something else about me she stares over, catches my eye, almost smiles then looks away again. Wish I knew what she was thinking right now.

Either way I'm an idiot, have blown everything by losing focus that night.

Should have been more careful, thought about what was actually important.

Had just seemed like a damn good idea at the time.

Find myself wishing that Leigh, at least, knew the whole truth of it. Don't much care what anyone else thinks of me, or even about the jail time, County can't be that much worse than the reformatory, not from what I've heard. Just don't like the uncomfortable feeling I get when I think that maybe she believes that I did what they are saying, that she thinks badly of me.

Too late now though.

Don't suppose I'll get the opportunity to speak to her before they send me upstate. Maybe I could call her once I'm there, try to explain everything, write her or something. Although I don't suppose she'll want to know me no more after today anyway. Not after hearing them claim that I put some guy in the hospital, that it had been touch and go for a while whether he would make it.

Not that how they told it is anywhere close to how it went down – not that it matters, 'cause there ain't anyone who can change things that would believe me, even if I told them the truth of it. Whole thing just sounds ridiculous, like something out a bad movie.

_Have been bundled into the back my own car between Fry and some other hood. After a short drive get shoved inside of a tiny convenience store, where there's some kid working the counter on his own. He seems real impressed to see the River Kings boss turn up like this, grins at Myers, asks him how he is as one the nameless heavies turns the lock on the door, changes the sign hanging on the inside the glass to read 'closed'._

"_Not bad, Tony, not bad. Now, you still interested in being one of us?"_

_Kid nods, too eager to impress. "Yeah, absolutely, you know I'd do a good job."_

"_Well, here's the thing. We need some help with Mr Shepard here. Only depending on how he plays it, it ain't gonna be easy for you, but you do this and once it's all over then you'll have earned a place in the Kings."_

"_Sure, sure, anything." Christ, kid looks like all his Christmases have come at once, even though it's obvious to everyone else in the room that he won't be coming out of this unscathed either. And with that Myers turns back to me._

_"Okay, Shepard, here's the deal. Either you give it up voluntarily, give up your half-assed aspirations as some kind of gang leader, make it known you're handing it all over to me."_

_"Or?"_

_"Or I put you out of action right here and now. 'Cause one way or the other, after tonight there won't be no Shepard gang. Just need to decide what side of that deal you want to come down on."_

_Know the smart move would be to agree, 'cause I don't stand a chance against all five of them, and there's no way I'm getting out of this place unless they let me out. Except all I can think of is everything he's ever done to me these past months, say the first thing that comes into my mind instead. "Fuck you, Myers."_

_He laughs. "Maybe you ain't as smart as I thought then, Tim. Which is a shame, especially for Tony here." He nods to the guy behind the counter. "See, Tony, here's how it goes when the cops ask you anything. Which they will. Now, pull out that baseball bat you got under the counter."_

_Guy does as he's told and we both watch wordlessly as Fry slips behind the counter beside him, takes it from his hands and swings it around a little._

_"Look, Tony, you're going to be the veritable local hero. This dumb hood tries to rob you, threatens to shoot you." Pulls a hand gun out his pocket, waves it at Tony, grinning. "Only you don't just take it, try to fight him off, smash him over the head and knock him out cold. Only the thing is, as you do it, the gun goes off, gets you at close range. Understand?"_

"_Y-Yeah." Kid turns a little pale now, don't know that I blame him; pretty sure this ain't what he was expecting to be doing when he started work this evening, when Myers was making him promises._

"_Right, so tell me what you're gonna say happens when you get asked."_

_Kid does so three, maybe four, times, until Myers is happy. Try not to focus on what's happening as Wayne raises the gun, shoots him then laughs and turns to me as the kid falls to the floor._

_"What's to stop me selling you out? Telling the truth of this?"_

_"Well, course, you got to do what you think is right, Tim, only it'd be a real shame." He smirks at me again._

_Take the bait, ask the question. "What would?"_

_"If anything was to happen to that little sister of yours, that girl you're so hung up over, or even your old lady. You know, it would have been a lot easier if you'd just taken the deal, Shepard," he says, his laughter the last thing I hear before everything turns black. _

_Next I know I'm coming round to the sirens of police cars and ambulances, the gun's on the floor next to me and the kid's being taken out on a stretcher while I'm dragged up and handcuffed by Tulsa's finest then shoved in the back the police car, no sign that anyone else but the two of us had ever been in there._

Guess it won't be long now until I'm heading for jail.

Wish the judge would just get on with it, tell me how long I'm getting so I can get out of here. Force myself to concentrate on his dull, monotone voice as he talks endlessly about getting tough on repeat offenders, tightening up on gun crime, severity of the guy's injuries, the seriousness of the offence, the callous and premeditated nature of it, taking my record into account, whatever the hell all of that means.

Only when he does reach the end of his speech and gets down to the details I change my mind, don't want this to be over no more.

Figure I must have misheard, that it's got to be some mistake.

Maybe he said three months, has to be.

Can't have been years.

Except that ain't likely. Not if he's sending me _there_, 'cause you don't just go to that place for a short spell.

Look around, see the shocked expression on my sister's face.

That kid's father smiling and nodding as he hugs his crying wife.

My mother, finally silent, with her handkerchief clutched to her face, her other hand gripping Angela's arm real tight.

But Leigh, she don't exactly look surprised. Upset, unhappy, but not taken aback. More, I don't know, it's almost like she's been expecting something this awful all along. Wonder why I didn't even consider it myself. Guess I've been fooling myself, thinking that nothing much was gonna change, that it was no big deal, that it wouldn't be nothing I couldn't handle.

But not getting sent there, never seriously considered it, never truly thought they'd send me anywhere but County. But McAlester. Jesus, ain't heard one good story about that place.

Only as the judge finishes up and the guards head my way, it finally hits me how bad this actually is, that I've thrown away everything good in my life for no reason, achieved nothing apart from hurting myself and the only people on this earth I give a damn about - and there ain't one thing I can do now to put that right.

Can feel everyone's eyes on me as I walk out, try to stand a little straighter, not let it show that I'm bothered, how terrified I really am.

Just got to get on with it now, try to make it through my time in McAlester, not let Myers completely destroy me. Not let him win.

**THE END**

* * *

**A/N:** HUGE THANKS to everyone who's been reading this, I would really love to hear your thoughts on how it's turned out if you have a spare moment. Thanks especially to everyone who's reviewed - your feedback has helped me stick with finishing this story at times when I've thought about giving up on it - and thanks also to everyone who has followed, favourited, or read to the end :)

Tim's story continues from here in some of my other stories—_Cars and Girls_ which focuses on his time in McAlester, and _Back to the Start_ which picks up on his return to Tulsa and his struggles with rebuilding his relationships there.

Thanks again!


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